Dean Reilly is a classically trained artist and graduate of the Australian Design College.He has also been a finalist in two of Australia’s most coveted art awards, the Archibald and Doug Moran Portrait Prize.
We caught up with Dean before his exhibition at Red Hill Gallery in Brisbane as part of the Opposite Attraction Exhibition which opens on October 10th 2014.
AC: When talking of the ‘language’ in your art work, what would you say you are trying to portray with this series of work for your next exhibition.
DR: My creativity has a language I never can quite understand. At this time it seems to wander through fields of sensuality and playfulness. So with my artwork I try to approach it from this point. I believe we are all “sensual playful beings” or capable of being so.
AC: What are your passions in life, and do you like to incorporate them into your artwork at the moment.
DR: My passions come from my relationships, most importantly the relationship I have with myself and this world I live in. My art is a cathartic experience for me and it is my passion to try and understand why.
AC: You have an eclectic style of painting. How do you decide about the style of the next piece of work?
DR: I constantly research from popular culture, Classic culture and all the guff of “cut and paste” in between. I keep my eyes open yet shut at the same time for I now understand Picasso “. I do not seek, I find.”
AC: Using a few descriptive words, as an artist, how would you like to be portrayed? If you were a painting, what would the title be?
DR: As a painter whose creativity is unbridled, ranging from the classic to the absurd.
The title would be “Due to copyright constrictions we are unable to show this portrait.”
AC: The figurative form is a focus in your series of work for this exhibition. Are you feeling strongly about continuing to paint the same way?
DR: The human form has become fairly constant of late. You just can’t beat its storytelling capabilities
AC: What would you secretly like to be famous for?
DR: Making the wheel obsolete.
Dean Reilly will be exhibiting his new works at his exhibition at Red Hill Gallery in Brisbane October 10th 2014
