Ahead of his live local pop-up show this weekend.
Ahead of his live local pop-up show this weekend.
The Gold is absolutely brimming with local creatives, some brand new and some having been a part of establishing our local cultural scene.
One such longstanding artist is Dan Mason, a painter who will this week paint a live portrait at his pop-up show The Journeyman.
We sat down for a chat with Dan about his unique ability to create incredible art with knives and what to expect from this weekend’s show.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I went to Miami High School in the late ‘80’s, surfing everyday before and after class. My working/ocean time ritual is pretty much still the same to this day.
What do you love most about living here?
Our clean slice of the Pacific Ocean
Tell us about how you came to be a full-time artist?
While at Uni in the mid 90’s, I worked as an old-school Photographic Retouch Artist (with brushes), designed, built and painted furniture in my garage and always yearned to work for myself honouring the gift of creative consciousness. I took the plunge ‘full-time’ at the start of ’03 after returning home from an overseas trip, where I became scarily ill. It was then that I decided that life’s too short to not do what you love – or at least give it a red-hot go.
What’s unique about your work?
I’d loosely suggest that I’ve spent between 200k-300k hours, with an emphasis on perpetual experimentation and painting in my studio. Remember, they’re only mistakes if you don’t learn from them. My painterly approach has metamorphosised into a delicate attack, with palette knives in hand & thick impasto oil movements.
Tell us about The Journeyman…
Firstly I’m painting a new portrait live in the gallery both days. Hopefully the cleaning bill after I leave isn’t too big! This two-day show is allowing me to connect with collectors who have acquired my artwork from Red Hill Gallery in Brisbane, over the past fifteen years, as well as some new faces. I guess I’m most known for my abstracted sensibilities and there’ll be most of the thick abstract oil paintings that I’ve created from the past twelve months on show AT 2005 PRICES! I’ve been developing my love of portraiture in recent times and will have a few 100x150cm pieces ready to go to good homes too. I’ve also created many very affordable smaller framed works for those who only have small walls to fill. They’re half their normal price for the weekend – that’s two-for-one.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to make their passion for art into a full-time career?
Be good at what you do and work harder than everybody else. Build relationships. Be very humble.
What’s in the works for the rest of 2019 for you?
I’m obsessed with developing my portraiture and painting people who contribute generously to our society. More of this is what I’m aiming for.
Tell us your favourites on the Coast…
Cafe for breaky: Neighbourhood Espresso, Currumbin Waters
Coffee spot: Dune Café at Palm Beach Parklands
Restaurant for dinner: Balboa Italian in Palm Beach
How does your weekend usually look: Hanging with my wife and two young sons at the park/beach. I love working in my backyard landscaping and gardening on Sundays too – it’s my outdoor ‘man-cave’. If I’m lucky, I get to watch one game of AFL on the box each weekend.
If you’ve done any travelling overseas — or taken a casual stroll through the back lanes of Melbourne — you might have noticed a culture of street art and murals that simply leave you in awe. Not one to be far behind, the Gold Coast has been creating urban-based pieces of art at an impressive pace for the last several years, further confirming our slow burn and steady rise as a hub of culture in the land down under.
You may pass by these pieces without noticing them, or worse, not even know of their existence. And for the sake of the hard work and talent that has gone into them, we think that would be an utter travesty. And as our art scene is only going in one direction (up), we thought it fitting to give you the lowdown on the city’s most notable and impressive pieces of outside/mural art! (listed from north to south).
Water Walls Project — Hope Island
As part of an installation for the Commonwealth Games, Creative Road commissioned local favourite Kiel Tillman (and others) to create some street art on bare spots across the Coast as a legacy to the games, with exceptional results. This piece is an impressive bird painted on the side of an unassuming little building facing the road — therefore, it’s unlikely you’ll miss it.
Where: Oxenford Southport Road & Pendraat Parade, Hope Island
Abbott Park, Parkwood
The Gold Coast City Council commissioned local artist Fiona Hutchinson-Mackenzie to create a community art mural in Abbott Park. Unfortunately, the drive behind it was mostly to deter vandalism. However, good things can come from bad. The beautiful, brightly coloured piece depicts the Surfers Paradise skyline and a little basketball action to boot.
Where: Abbott Park, Parkwood
Golden Walls — Ichiban Lane + Davison Lane Southport
You may have ventured past these dreamlike alleys in the Southport CBD and wondered how on earth it’s possible to paint something so good. Well, get this, some of the work was completed in one day and completely improvised — yes, you read that correctly. The artists behind the alley art are world-renowned Brisbane artist SOFLES and Lachlan Hansen – an artist of 40/40 Creative on the Coast. If you’re in the area, we say treat your eyeballs to some clever artwork hinged on depicting Asian cultures within the community.
Where: Off Scarborough Street, and Davison Lane, Southport
HOTA, Bundall
Created by Melbourne-based artist Mike Makatron, the pieces were commissioned to brighten up the cultural precinct, and what a great job he did of it! When you go to check out the newly opened Gallery — as if that isn’t enough — be sure to seek out these two outbuildings. They are a feast for the eyes with so many colourful aspects that you can expect to lose some serious time gazing up at them.
Where: HOTA, 135 Bundall Road, Bundall
Mexicali, Nobby Beach
No doubt you’ve spied this pretty piece on your travels to Nobby Beach on a margarita fuelled odyssey of fun. Designed and painted by local legend Luke Day, the colourful creation has quickly become a favourite Instagram opportunity for, well, pretty much everyone with a phone. In enchanting hues of pink and blue, it’s so Gold Coast, it hurts!
Where:1/2223 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach
AWOL Brewery, Burleigh Heads
The innovative crew behind Black Hops are right back at it again with their sister project, AWOL Brewery. With inventive work taking place inside, there was a call to ensure their space looked the goods inside and out. Kiel Tillman was naturally brought in to create some funky and unprecedented illustrative work — be sure to check it out, and don’t forget to grab a beer!
Where: AWOL, 4 Hibiscus Haven, Burleigh Heads
Tugun Fruit Market, Tugun
Does this man ever stop? He’s created countless cool projects over the years, but this one we feel is the jewel in the crown of Kiel Tillman’s talents. The Welcome to the Gold Coast mural painted onto the side of Tugun Super Market is nearly impossible to miss, and for those who have just touched down in the sunshine state: what an entrance!
Where: 499 Gold Coast Highway, Tugun
Southern Cross University, Bilinga
Involving over 50 litres of paint and taking over a month to create this incredible ten storey high artwork is quite an artistic achievement. Created by Guido van Helten, a Brisbane-raised artist, the piece depicts an ultra-realistic-looking man and a woman looking back toward the campus. Taking it in makes you wonder how somebody could paint something so realistic, while at the same time not being able to see the bigger picture (literally).
Where: Gold Coast Airport, Terminal Drive, Bilinga
The Pink Hotel, Coolangatta
The bracing sight of The Pink Hotel in Coolangatta is a somewhat (welcome) sensory overload by anyone’s standard. Like many, we were excited when the dilapidated corner building was given an entirely new lease of life nearly three years back. Part of that is the ever-changing mural wall on the north-facing side closet to the beach. The artwork has recently undergone a new design in conjunction with Stone & Wood and artist Jamie Peters (AKA @poongoat) – but keep your eyes peeled because it won’t take too long for it to change again!
Where: 171 Griffith Street, Coolangatta
Words by Alex Mitcheson.
It seems there’s an uprising occurring on the Gold Coast. Not in a the-world-is-burning Handmaid’s Tale kind of way. It’s more of a passion-fuelled, heart-led, art and cultural kind of way.
Which is obviously far better. Over the past few years, it kind of snuck up on us, an art exhibition here, a cultural festival there and now, local Coasties are creating new spaces to live out their dreams left, right and centre.
The latest of which is Mint Art Studio, a new space found on West Burleigh Road in Burleigh Heads and bringing all of your colour-filled, Alice in Wonderland-esque dreams to life. If you’ve driven past lately, no doubt you’ll have noticed Prickles, Andrew Cullen and Dion Parkers’ Swell Sculpture Festival winning giant barbed wire teddy bear standing guard out the front. He’s a real eye catcher. Not a fan of hugs though.
Inside, the space is dotted with works by the talented crew who put the space together and it’s an absolute kaleidoscope of colour with artworks-in-progress tacked to the walls, sculptures and resin art stacked about and a little communal area complete with vintage lounge chairs and plenty of laidback, feel good vibes.
Mint Art Studio is the work of a few incredible locals – Nat Popovski or Nat Pop, an abstract watercolour artist, Cara Sanders an acrylic painter known as Owlet, Danni Borody, of Rustic Fig Design, a painter and resin artist.
There’s also Jillian Bradley, a painter at Jillian Bradley Art, Emily Rose, a multi-disciplinary artist who practices the art of wood burning, Jude of Made in Burleigh, a ceramicist, Dean Brockett, an experimental potter and Vicky (at a.r.t.vs) who works with oil paint, pastels and soft sculpture.
They are a diverse and extremely talented bunch of Gold Coasters whose individual searches for a space to work amongst other artists brought them together.
The group says being able to bounce ideas off one another and watching creations come to life is an incredibly inspiring way to work and having spent time in the space, we can confirm the creative vibes are well and truly swirling within.
At the moment, Mint Art Studio is a working art space made to foster connection between some of the Coast’s most talented artists but the plan is for it to become a gallery with set opening days where people are able to pop in, meet the artists and purchase the pieces on display.
There’ll also be workshops and events with each of the artists in residence and there are a lot of plans for things like art house movie nights and the like.
For now, drop in and say g’day to the gang, you might just be inspired to start creating something yourself.
So you see, an uprising of the arts. Very exciting for our little seaside city and we are 100% here for it.
LOCATION: 55 West Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Heads
Words and photos by Kirra Smith
We’re sure you’ve noticed (there are gorg murals everywhere now), but Gold Coast’s local art scene is popping off! From galleries to murals, exhibitions to workshops, our talented local artists are making themselves known here and on the national scene.
So, if you’re looking for a unique way to spend a day on the Gold Coast, why not appreciate all the exceptional art on offer?
Here’s a list of local galleries to help you get your art fix (listed north to south).
Gallery One is a leading contemporary fine art gallery representing collectible and established multi-award-winning artists from around Australia. In other words, expect to be impressed. From Ken Done to Goompi Ugerabah, the featured artists are expansive in their material use and host a wide breadth of colour, making for a captivating and curious visit.
Where: Shop 16.02 The Brickworks 107 Ferry Road, Southport
Anthea Polson established her namesake gallery after working for over thirteen years at one of Australia’s largest commercial art galleries. Anthea Polson Art specialises in contemporary Australian art and sculpture, representing Australia’s top emerging artists and exhibiting major investment works. Alongside her team, Anthea has helped promote emerging Australian contemporary artists, host a regular exhibition programme, and provide clients a superior art consultancy service since 2009.
Where: 29 Tedder Avenue, Main Beach
It’s all in the name, really. The Gold Coast’s Home of The Arts. HOTA is the city’s premier cultural precinct and has been showcasing visual and performing arts since 1986. This place is phenomenal, with an impressive array of exhibitions, cinema, dining/bar facilities, and a non-stop schedule of live shows, activities, and workshops. Whether you’re keen to see the works of award-winning artists, sculptures and photographers, see a live theatre show or take a live drawing workshop, you can find it here.
Where: 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise
Located next to Broadbeach SLSC, the Royal Queensland Art Society is a place to view, buy and create art. They offer classes from life drawing to acrylic and sketching and host an ‘Art in The Park’ on the second Sunday of each month, where artists can sell their work at the park. It’s free admission, and they’ve even got an Art Cafe to grab refreshments from after a busy day of getting creative.
Where: 25 Broadbeach Boulevard, Broadbeach
This stunning Mermaid Beach gallery showcases bold, eye-catching art- all for purchase- by over ninety local and international artists. Curated by Terri Lew, the space is divided into six interconnected exhibition spaces featuring a diverse range of styles and genres, from realism and abstract to pop art and pop surrealism and more!
Where: 19 Karen Avenue, Mermaid Beach
Standing for ‘Art Lives on Walls’, ALOW is a brand new artist-driven gallery space in Mermaid Beach, created as a sanctuary for creative freedom, experimentation, and storytelling. Founded by the owners of We Sell Prints, Jarrad and Sarah Miller, ALOW is about reestablishing our connection with art off-screen; physically standing in front of a piece and feeling it. They also host bold exhibitions, hands-on workshops and artist-led events.
Where: 2/53-55 Cronulla Ave, Mermaid Beach
Did you know world-renowned landscape photographs are available for us to marvel at on the Gold Coast?! We’re talking about Wayne Sorrenson’s works and his gallery in Miami! From wildlife to national and international landscapes, his gallery features a vast selection of framed artwork to purchase, as well as a range of gift ideas, including acrylic blocks, greeting cards and calendars, to name a few. It’s all absolutely breathtaking.
Where: 40 Lemana Lane, Miami
Meet the freshest artist-run gallery on the Gold Coast (and perhaps beyond). It’s called Mint Art House, and it’s home to 12 talented emerging artists ranging from painters to sculptors, muralists to ceramicists, located in Burleigh Heads. Like all good art studios, Mint is a collaborative space that frequently hosts exhibitions, artist talks and workshops including poetry nights and life drawing.
Where: 5/87 West Burleigh Road, Burleigh Heads
The HIVE is another artist-run studio (we love to see it), a fine art gallery and co-operative art space. They support local and international, emerging and established artists of all skill levels, as an effort to encourage inclusivity and creativity. Within the gallery, you’ll find an array of stunning works available for purchase, or if you’d like to stay awhile, why not grab a ticket to one of their workshops! Life drawing, anyone? There’s also a regular meetup and music night if you want to meet some like-minded folks.
Where: Unit 23/5 Coghill Dr, Currumbin Waters
Just the sight of this gorgeous refurbished warehouse (a piece of art itself) in the heart of Currumbin Waters is enough to ignite one’s inspiration. Dust Temple is a creative space (also an art gallery, cafe and bar) where likeminds can meet and share their love of the arts. They host live music, performances, poetry, exhibitions and workshops.
Where: 54 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin Waters
Maverick is a one-of-a-kind space where art, hair and health come together! The small gallery space allows local artists to showcase their work (some available for purchase) and connect, hosting community art exhibitions and events throughout the year. There are also beautiful gifts for purchase from both near and far.
Where: First Floor, 1/17 Griffith Street, Coolangatta
Home to the Margaret Olley Art Centre (MOAC), the Gallery Shop and Apex Dining, the architecturally award-winning Tweed Regional Gallery makes for a perfect day across the border. Start with breakfast at Apex, enjoyed with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Tweed River before heading to the MOAC; a gallery celebrating the life of Australia’s most celebrated still life and interior painter. Don’t forget to pick up a keepsake at the Gallery Shop on your way out!
Where: 2 Mistral Rd, South Murwillumbah
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
