Artist Statement - Bichelle Masrani

Co-founder of Spot On Art & Design,
Artist, illustrator and Photographer

Fairly recently I took the plunge, leaving a great 9-5 post and immersing myself into art and photography with the launch of Spot On Art, and we've never looked back since!

I gained an Honours degree in Biochemistry and Physiology at the University of Westminster and a Masters in Science Communication from Dublin City University. My undergraduate project was a success where I announced the first known Aquaporins (waterchannels) in cartilage. The biochemical world, under the microscope is an amazing sight.

I was a project manager for several years, managing multi-million pound projects such as the Early Years Foundation Degree for Sure Start, or managing the development of the Teacher Training Toolkit for the Skills for Life Unit and other educational and social based initiatives. With a passion for life-long learning, I spent the following 5 years following my passion in art by studying Computer Arts and Graphics, Photography and Craft related topics in colleges after work.
After completing an a year-long Art and Design foundation at the Mary Ward Centre and winning a business training scholarship with the South East Enterprise under the New Entrepreneur Scholarship programme Spot On Art & Design was formed in partnership with Gary Clarke.

Recently, I've started to combine the diverse subjects studied, bringing together an unusual and eclectic mix of materials or practices, such as the Tutti fruity illustration, which combine the graffiti style which I so like but in a fusion of hand drawn and digital work. The other piece which is important to me as an artist is the Last of the Wilberness. The magical thing about the creative process, I have found, is that you start off with a plan, but it always takes its own course as the work progresses. The end piece is never what you've planned, it's always so much better!

In fact, running Spot On Art & Design has taken on it's own wonderful adventure, nothing I could have planned beforehand (even through much of my life was spent in making project plans!). I would never have guessed that I would start to have clients on board - Mudchute Park and Farm, or local businesses such as Arty Globe, or be representing other artists, or be sitting in a field taking photographs of Llamas, or sheep, cows and baby finches! Amazing! Can't wait to see what the next adventure brings.

00080;'>>!!Artist Statement - Gary Clarke

Painting is a meditative experience and brings me to a space of peace and contemplation on the elemental component of my work; the mysterious nature of things.

Inspired by the transcendent quality of light, which transforms a seemingly mundane surface to a luminous brilliance, colours are layered over a textured background producing a vibrant luminous canvas, in which I find limitless freedom when painting. The process is deceptively simple but the effects are deeply complex. It is this aspect that I am drawn to and which gives me a feeling of rapture.

Themes are initial reference points from which the paintings take their own form and develop organically. The circle, the beginning without end, is a symbol of unity and infinity and has real power. I have a feeling of expansion when working with it.

Photography
Photography enables me to explore and experiment with the infinite range and variety of light and subject. The momentary nature of the photograph often reveals startling images of transcendent beauty, and one in which I feel a deep appreciation to have been in that place at that time. It is the unexpected moments that inspire me, and offer a deep connection to the world around me.

Influences
The first light of dawn carries with it a special energy, spacious and silent. The beginning of a new day is a time of gratitude and peace.

The beautiful and precise sand mandalas of Tibetan Buddhism are particularly fascinating. A symbol of patience and tranquility, they represent the transitory nature of life. On completion of the mandala, the sand is swept and upon blessing is placed into a river for the energy to be carried forward.

Other important influences are the music of Harold Budd, whose ethereal, beautiful sounds bring peace and tranquility; the hypnotic music of Philip Glass who together with Godfrey Reggio produced the mesmerising Koyaanisqatsi; the unique vision of Bichelle Masrani who produced the exquisite and astounding Magnum series; Olaf Stapledon who wrote the perfect novel in Starmaker, a book of astonishing imagination and beautiful prose; the enigmatic music of Nick Drake; metta meditation by Sharon Salzberg which brings me to a space of peace and stillness; Zen stories; the spiritually inspired expression of John Coltrane; John Cage's 4'33" and his chance procedures; the theatrical illusion of Philippe Genty; the extraordinary overtone voice of Nestor Kornblum; the painting theories of Hans Hoffman; the sublime abstract paintings of Gerhard Richter; the inspirational art of Ioannis Antoniadis; Impressions 3 by Paul Debois.