Colin Staples, 1959 ~ Figurative and Portrait painter

Colin Staples, Australian painter: For me, art has always been my vital spark, a journey of discovery into not only techniques and visuals, but of mind and letting go to watch the work create itself.
The creation of art has been my driving force since early childhood with the past 10 years seeing continued growth. The concepts behind my art have been largely influenced through many years of studying martial arts and it's philosophies of no mind; shedding the ego. I feel my best work is expressed through this approach and have developed a feeling I am now intimate with, and trust.

I...like most artists, don't enjoy talking about myself...I guess that's why we paint. My work is primarily portrait and figure in acrylics, which to me retains a feeling of freshness through the continuous mixing of new colours. Currently I only paint recreationally but relentlessly at every opportunity. I have no formal art degrees, just a very real passion to express what I see in the soul of another being.

After serving many years in painting I now feel a calling toward abstraction with the focus on maintaining the essence of the soul before me. Much of my work is completed within the one sitting to capture the life and soul of the subject, with a sense of freedom being created because of the time limit. My paintings are large in size as I try to get as much paint to the surface of the canvas in this time while retaining the qualities of the soul I feel I see.