In Our Gallery with Robert Andrews

How long have you been an artist and how did you get started?

I have been an artist for a bit over 30 years.

During that time I have also worked at various jobs (mostly art-related ones) and also completed tertiary studies at undergraduate and postgraduate levels (mostly in visual art, but also in adult education).

Tell us about your artwork displayed by Bundaberg Regional Galleries as part of the Here + Now exhibition?

My artwork in the Here + Now 2022 exhibition is an assemblage, made from both found and recycled objects.

It is influenced by my interest in art movements such as pop art, dada and street art.

The work also reflects my response to the materials used to make it, which for me concerns the aesthetics of the ordinary.

What was the inspiration behind this piece?

This work is inspired partly by my interest in the types of materials used to make it.

You need to spend time in the studio simply looking at the range of materials you have collected before experimenting with different arrangements of them.

You then find out what works best in terms of composition.

The work is also partly inspired by my belief in re-using materials as much as possible.

I am a big believer in the contemporary environmental mantra 'reduce, reuse and recycle.'

What medium was used and how does this reflect your usual practice?

The media used for this particular work are wood, plastic, and metal.

My art practice often sees me using found and/or recycled items, especially for the sculptural aspect of my work.

I also produce two-dimensional works (paintings, drawings and mixed media pieces), and other types of sculptural works that make use of miniature figures and found/recycled objects that suit the scale of those figures.

Themes addressed in my work include Presence and Absence; Abstraction, Representation and Meaning; and, in a broader sense, the Human Condition.

What are some of your artistic highlights?

Some artistic highlights for me include participation in various group exhibitions such as this one, plus setting and achieving the goals for my various solo exhibitions.

Also, seeing and hearing positive responses from those who have bought my artworks.

I do not usually enter art competitions, but it has been nice to win a few prizes during my journey as an artist.

Previous In Our Gallery: Marilyn Batty