Artists Statement Keith Collins is a self-taught artist with a passion for experimentation. From abstract and surreal to the more conventional, he expresses his passion for colour and light through the diversity of his work. Born in Barnstaple, North Devon and having spent parts of his childhood in Cornwall and Australia, his work is influenced by nature, both its physical and spiritual aspects. Professionally based in photography, for a number of years Keith lived and worked as freelance photographer in France. Since 1999, Keith has been resident on Plymouth’s Barbican where he has embraced modern technology in developing the technique he calls “photosculpting” and having returned to painting after 20 years is utilising a variety of different mediums both traditional and modern to create a unique and contemporary style. This has resulted in work which has been exhibited and sold internationally. Keith’s creativity and sense of community have taken him into a variety of fields, including appearances on local television. As artist in residence at the Art Garden, he aided the development of the gallery space on the first floor where his, and the work of other local artists was exhibited. He also supported the cultivation of other cultural activities within the Art Garden setting. As a photographer and graphic designer, he has been involved in the design of album covers, posters and other publicity material, working with several local businesses and musicians. Keith places great importance on taking his work to a wider audience, and has contributed by creating exhibitions at a number of local events. In 2004, Keith travelled to Switzerland where he was invited to exhibit at festivals. This included being the first painter to have the opportunity to present his work at Zurich’s long-established Theater Spektakel. In 2005, Keith took his work to London for the first time, which led to several invitations, the highlight being to visit America, where he sold a number of major pieces. Keith enjoys interacting with the public, taking an interest in what the individual observes within his work and how one picture can communicate different things to many people. Keen to breakdown some of the barriers that prevent people from enjoying art, Keith has been developing a technique which means that, for a number of his recent paintings, the implicit “DO NOT TOUCH” labels have been removed and viewers are actively encouraged to include this sense as part of their enjoyment of his work. In 2008 Keith developed and launched ‘The Art Box’ (TAB), which is a mobile Exhibition and performance space, with the aim of actively taking art to the people. Ill health forced the development of the project to be postponed. With the help of a patron, Keith is now in a studio-based environment in Cornwall, and intends to re-launch ‘TAB’ as ‘The Art Barn’ in the near future, using the mobile unit to display his work. This allows him to incorporate the interactive concepts he has been developing to ensure a fulfilling ‘art immersion’ experience
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 08:53:40 +0000
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