J. Andrew BLACKWELL
Visual Artist
JAB.
marine manmade plastic debris art by john andrew blackwell
OCEAN ART
marine manmade plastic debris assemblage
conceptural art & hardedge painting
abstract squeegee art
MARINE PLASTIC DEBRIS ASSEMBLAGE ART
GALLERIES
Story Title The recent object making utilizes a medium that relates directly to the refraction between the man-made environment and the state of the present biosphere,namely Enviroplastics from the ocean & rivers. BLACKWELL's journey fluxes from abstract , quirky creative , figurative , industrial machine moulds ,washed up plastic junk , impact on nature , plight of marine life and memory to aesthetic works of beauty past/ present.
 2013,Pt Lookout,'sg2' 6.7.13, 640;480 |  2013,Pt Lookout,'main,22-2-13', |
|---|---|
 2012,Pt Lookout,'Postcard sg',640;480 |  2012,Pt Lookout,'Postcard Main', 16-6-12 , 640;480 |
 2013,'Pt Lookout,'a maze in plastic', 640;300 |  2012,Tweed Beach,'Latitia-c, 4-2-12' , 640;480 |
 2012,Pt Lookout,'Main',15-7-12, 640;480 |  2012,Pt Lookout,'Main',15-7-12 ,640;480 |
 2009,Pt Lookout, 'sg4,' 6.6.09; 640;480 |  2006,'Sunshine Beach Rock-06',640;100 |
 2006,'Sunshine Beach' ,-640-200dpi |  2003,Pt Lookout,'After storm', 640;96 |
 2001,Tweed Beach,'Landfall',640;300 |
beach collection sites.
the spiel : artwork making is an attempt to recognise our surroundings in the world (the earliest art was closely related to the power of procreation of our species).
Serious art making began in 1971 with abstract landscapes while starting art college in visual communication. At this time I won my first art prize with an abstract work inspired by the fields of the Redlands for the Redland Art Prize(U 21).
The technique of scratch ,scrape ,squeegee of paint has persisted throughout my painting practice phases. One phase produced brush/spray painted mandala forms of pattern and colour, while kinetic sculpture of fluroscent light tubes(pyramid shape) graced the reflective floor. Found objects such as paper ,card and wood also began development along with scrape ,squeegee /brush painted canvas phase of the late 70,s & early 80,s that were influenced by architecture.
Marine Plastic Debris found objects began to appear in sculpture and assemblages until it became evident that there was a problem developing in our oceans. Art practice was now in the realm of environmental activism ,a new art genre(plastic debris art). A visual reaction to our huge consumer waste & lack of retrieval systems for plastics washed into rivers & our oceans, hence beaches.
mark , scrape & squeegee Assemblages--collect & assemble
Selected Curriculum Vitae
Biography
1971 1st year diploma of Art, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane
1984/86 Associate Diploma Built Environment, QIT, Brisbane
Solo Exhibitions
2012 'Supershoplastics", Wynnum Library, Wynnum, Brisbane
2010 'Chomp Chewi' , Carina Library, Carina, Brisbane
2007 'Banal Enviroscape', Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery,Strathpine, Brisbane
2006 'Bagged', Hands On Art Gallery,South Brisbane, Brisbane
2004 'Sea Treasure = Enviroscapes', Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland
2003 'Dancing Waterlines', Doggett Street Studio, Brisbane
2000 'Nautica', Bulimba Bean Gallery,Bulimba, Brisbane
1994 'Cosmological Naturists', Doggett Street Studio, Brisbane
1993 'Abstraction and the Nude in Nature', Exhibit 912 Gallery, East Brisbane, Brisbane
1981 'Nudes & Landscapes', Gallery Kabuki, Paddington, Sydney
1976 'Recent Works", Cellars Gallery, Brisbane
Awards
2008 Toowoomba Biannual Emerging Artist Award, Toowoomba
2001 Caloundra Modern Abstract Prize, Caloundra
1981 Hunters Hill Art Prize(Joubert Award for Drawing), Sydney
1971 Redlands Art Prize(Under 21 Award), Cleveland
Collections
Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery, Hands On Art, Redland Art Gallery, Queensland Art Gallery, Howard Gill & Brown, Ipswich Art Gallery, Artbank
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018 "SplashTrash.org", virtual ArtExpo @ 6th Annual Marine Debris Conference, San Diego, USA
2015 "Maritime Art Awards"', Mission to Seafarers, Docklands, Melbourne
2012 "Linden Postcard Show2012", Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts, St.Kilda, Melbourne
2010 "Green", Brenda May Gallery, Waterloo, Sydney
"Gold Coast Art Prize", Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Gold Coast
"Snap Queensland Photographers", Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery, Strathpine, Brisbane
2009 "Crates On Wheels", Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery Touring Exhibition, Toowoomba
"Comeback", 19 Karen-Contemporary Artspace, Mermaid Beach, Gold Coast
"Artworkers Award", Metro Arts Gallery, Brisbane
2008 "Postcards from the Redlands", Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland
"Artist Book SCU Awards", Barrett Galleries, Alstonville, Northern NSW
"Art Quirks", Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Toowoomba
2007 Churchie Emerging Art Awards,East Brisbane,Brisbane
2006 Stanthorpe Art Awards,Stanthorpe
2005 "Blue Matters", Greenpeace ART 4 ACTION, Arthouse Hotel,Sydney
2004 "RUBBISH-Recycling as Art", Global Arts Link Gallery, Ipswich
2003 "Exotic Erotic", Society of Sculptors, Gold Coast
2002 Members Exhibit Alumni Assoc., Queensland College of Art-Griffith University, Brisbane
2001 Caloundra Arts Festival, Caloundra
2000 WYNNE Prize for Landscape FINALIST, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
"Toowoomba Biennial Aqusitive Award', Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Toowoomba
Gold Coast Global Sculpture Exhibit, Gold Coast
1999 "Scary Monsters", Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
1996 "About Brisbane", Gilchrist Galleries, Brisbane
"Glimpses of Brisbane", Studio 24 Gallery, South Brisbane
1995 "Combust", QCA Griffith University,Brisbane
1994 "Reference Points 111- The Immediate Past", Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
1983 "Gallery Artists", artist's Co-op Gallery, East Brisbane, Brisbane
"Gallery Artists, Milburn Art Gallery, Woollongabba, Brisbane
1982 "Survey Show", The Painters Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney
"Bag's Birthday No2 Exhibit", Balmain Art Gallery,Balmain, Sydney
1979 "Lawson's Paintings Auction", catalogue of Australian & European Paintings, Wentworth Hotel, Sydney
1978 "Summer Exhibition", Gallery a, Paddington, Sydney
1976 "Experimental Art Workshop", Institute of Modern Art (IMA), Brisbane
"Brisbane Painter's 1976", Institute of Modern Art(IMA), Brisbane
Selected Biography
Candice Bruce,"Reference Points lll - The Immediate Past"(exhibit catalogue), Q.A.G., Brisbane,1994,p6
Loretta Binder,"Discarded Debris Artist's Resource", S-E Advertiser 12/4/2000,p8
Toowoomba Biennial Aquisitive Award (exhibit catalogue),Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Toowoomba, 2000,p7
Bianca Drews,"Beachcombing on free beaches".T.A.N. No8, 2000,p25
Per Larsen, "The Naked Truth", video,2001, 4 mins.
Laraine Palmer, "Back and Again-Selected Australian Artists and Use of Recycled Materials", 2002, p14
Phil Brown, "Lost and Found", Brisbane News, 12/3/2003, p27
'Rubbish - Recycling as Art", (exhibit catalogue/teachers notes), Lottie's Place - Global Arts Link Gallery,Ipswich, 2004,p6
Margaret Slocombe, "Colmslie Reserve Source for Art", S-E Advertiser 2/3/2004, p33
Sally Brand,"Sea Treasure = Enviroscapes", exhibit catalogue, Redland Art Gallery, 2004
Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize (exhibit catalogue), South Australian Museum, Adelaide, 2005, p10
"Bagged-Beachcombe Recycled Consumerism", Art Almanac (profiles), issue August 2006, p194
Nathan Evans,"Andrew's aim is enviro-art", Noosa News, 7/11/2006, p5
Toowoomba Biannual Emerging Artist Award (exhibit catalogue), Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Toowoomba, 2008
Moreton Bay Regional Art Awards (exhibit catalogue), Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery, Strathpine, 2009, p11
"Redland Art Gallery Collection 2003-2009", p36, 2010
Wynnum Herald,2016,p