Overview:
Australian painter and sculptor, Bernard Vartuli, endeavors to capture themes of other-ness, stillness and balance in aerial imaginary landscapes and rhythmic patterns inspired by nature. He uses a contemplative approach inspired by the idea of interpreting the invisible thought waves of Creation through following intuitions. For him colour is a great joy to use and imagination is a strength balanced by underlying structures. Through acrylic on canvas and small clay sculptures he creates reminders for himself of the playful and divine aspects of life.
Background:
Bernard formerly worked in aerial agriculture as a mechanic in regional Australia before deciding to study art full-time. A new world opened up for him with scope to use his imagination and the manual arts he'd learned working on planes. He showed ability and versatility in different mediums, drawing, painting and sculpture.
At the end of 2001 he developed Guillain Barre Syndrome, a serious auto-immune illness but eventually recovered. He found the experience changed his direction toward the spiritual dimension of life. He traveled the world, volunteering at organic farm communities and sitting with meditation teachers of various traditions. He kept active with art through journal drawing and poetry at this time. It was a time of enrichment, adventure and great learning.
Many years later during a mental health challenge, he began painting again, small, imaginative colour-scapes on paper. Bernard re-discovered the healing, restorative qualities of visual art. It was not long after that he attended the Weave Arts Centre in Redfern (a social enterprise initiative of Weave Youth Family Community), where he exhibited and sold a great body of his work.
Over the years Bernard has continued to produce a body of work consisting of large and small paintings and is seeking an opportunity to exhibit his works in a commercial gallery within the next 12-18 months.
Group Exhibitions:
2013 – 2015 Renegades Outsider Art (KickArts, Cairns)
2011-2012 Weave Arts Centre – various groups shows
Collections:
Missenden Hospital
Private Collections
Artist's Statement:
I make art to explore colour and visual language. I enjoy discovering my own way of depicting things. I like the idea of interpreting something invisible and revealing or creating another reality or communicating a concept.
I'm inspired by the idea of a world where imagination can be explored freely by anyone. I'd like to work at using colour to create uplifting feelings.
Some themes I work with are, home-worlds, paradises, electricity, refuge, journeys into understanding, guardianship, Great Spirit, the ambience of dusk, invented structures, veils and villages, stillness, and sensations of floating, falling and flying.
I used to work on aeroplanes as a mechanic and also had learned to fly a light plane.
I'm left with memories of moving over the countryside. I draw on them to depict imaginary aerial landscapes. I try to balance different aspects of matter and spirit. I feel like I have a connection in each world.
I like to express a variety of concepts. I draw on scientific and spiritual interests. I enjoy working in an unplanned way. I tend to rely on imagination and memory and like to mix scales and perspectives.
Art's meaningful to me because it's mysterious. There's something magical in the way it unfolds to record thoughts and actions in a
personal way.