NEW WORK: Manly Beach I, 2013

Manly Beach I  is one of eight brand new works in my latest series of Impressionist works, inspired by Nancy Kilgour’s Impressionist painting, Untitled (figures on Manly beach), c. 1930.  I was drawn to her ability to project the reflective mood and emotional impression of life on Manly Beach.  There is also a prevailing ability in her work to slow time down, which captivated me.

In Manly Beach I, I seek to slow us down to a pace where we can celebrate the overall mood and impression of enjoying life in the sun on Manly Beach.  Using my lens as a paintbrush, I have used a variety of self-taught, in-camera techniques to free light and colour from their living stasis to paint this scene.  

Like all of my work, this photograph is raw and untouched (no Photoshop), producing a fresh, contemporary twist to modern day Impressionism and Pictorialist photography.  Limited Edition of 10 Archival Prints.

The full series of Manly Beach will be released in November 2013.

Cade donates artwork to fight Aussie kids cancer

For the second year in a row, I was thrilled to donate the first edition of City Lights II (2009) to raise critical funds for the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia (CCIA).  At the annual Diamond Ball in August in Sydney, we manged to raise well over half a million dollars.

These funds play a significant role in the future approach to childhood cancer - the development of a Personalised Medicine Program.  This program will enable researchers to identify treatments tailored to the individual characteristics and biology of a child's cancer, incorporating drugs that have the greatest likelihood of successfully treating each child's cancer.

Next year, I have decided to increase my support by donating another large artwork and I have also booked a full table of ten for the 2014 Diamond Ball.  If you would like to join me, please get in touch as my table is almost full!  For more information on this incredible organisation, visit www.ccia.org.au 

Cade Turner Podcasts - My Technique and Inspiration

I am someone who likes to hire the audio guide when I attend exhibitions. I find the insights into the artist or subject help set the scene and allow me to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of what I'm viewing. With this in mind, I have decided to record 2 audio tracks for my upcoming exhibition, Symphony of Light. The first track explores the concept behind Symphony of Light and my interpretation of each artwork, the second track explores my unconventional photographic techniques.

If you would like to listen to these files now or download them ready to listen to at my exhibition or at a later date, simply click on the below or go to my sound cloud profile https://soundcloud.com/cade-turner

SNEAK PEEK - SYMPHONY OF LIGHT SOLO EXHIBITION 2013

I'm excited to announce my impending solo exhibition, Sympony of Light, at Depot II Gallery, 2 Danks Street from 23 July - 3 August 2013. Inspired by the great Joseph Mallord William (JMW) Turner, I've produced a series of heart-felt, evanescent landscapes which were created completely in-camera, where elements of natural light and colour are freed from reality, delicately unveiling new visual symphonies, rich with mystery, beauty and romantic grandeur.

Under the same roof at Depot II you will also see my friend and revered painter, Matthew Weatherstone's solo exhibition, intimate expanse. Matthew also shares my passionate connection with natural light and his works are a contemplation of nature as both an allegory and object of inquiry, revealed and obscured by light, distance and darkness, ever the fount of mystery and wonder.

Exhibition details -
Location: Depot II Gallery, 2 Danks Street, Waterloo, NSW, 2107, Australia
Opening Night: 6-8pm, Tuesday, 23rd July, 2013
Opening Times: Tuesdays - Saturdays, 11am - 6pm, 23 July - 3 August 2013
More Information: Cade Turner 0415 887 637

CADE’S TURNING LIGHT - Guest Post by Emily McIntyre

Virga, 2013, Cade Turner

It was once written about J.M.W. Turner's work that it was proof of an original mind. Although ensuing modest claims that Cade Turner is his modern contemporary, both Turners share an innate desire to capture the essence of light and its movement.

Both rimming on the cusp of their fellow artists, the Turners push the boundaries of their traditional mediums. However, it's not all rock and roll - both artists have spent years learning the rules of their art. First learning to use their mediums by the book and aware of the artistic boundaries, they then used this knowledge to go where their mediums have never gone before. Should it be by complete coincidence the Turners' are exhibiting simultaneously is another story, but as Cade recalled his recent trip to Turner from the Tate: The Making of a Master, at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, I was intrigued to observe his creative process first hand and witness his method.

Following Cade to a nearby abandoned train pedestrian underpass, I watched him become entranced by the light and environment on the scene. Like a moth to flame he fluttered and became consumed by the transitions and variations of the colour spectrum. Asking him to talk through his thoughts, I felt like I was intruding into a private realm - words seem to fail to express the emotion and vulnerability of the site, his reactions and what he was feeling. Working with what he had on hand - his iPhone!- Cade was engulfed by the present moment.

Earlier in the day, Cade had shown me his new prints for his upcoming exhibition: Symphony of Light. Almost speechless, in his new work he transforms and captures living moments that are caught in a living stasis, raw with a unique perspective. His work is photography focused on a fresh angle- and they are untouched. Cade has boldly veered away from using any touch ups- all his works are raw and captured as is- which creates exquisite living realms that evoke a full spectrum of emotion.

It is clear that Cade has grown in his art. His earlier works such as Day at the Beach (2010) and Lolly Lights (2010) highlight his transition in influence from Impressionism to Romanticism. Shifting from capturing light and depicting its changing qualities, Cade is now investigating and telling light's story. His heightened focus on the multi-faceted nature of light and its reflection, like J.M.W. Turner, has brought Cade to a new level in capturing a breathing moment. In his upcoming exhibition Symphony of Light, works such as Virga (2013) and Convergence (2013) clearly show his hand has shifted from altered, fractured impressions and texture to capturing microcosmic electric pyramids of light and colour. 

Convergence (2013) evokes a violent fantastical realm of a dreamy, constant suspension. There is a haunting richness and likeness to J.M.W. Turner's Chain Bridge over the River Tees (c. 1825-36) where the force of a river is expressed through using light and its nuances. Rather than depicting the water's flow, J.M.W. Turner has expressed its force and its apparent catastrophic power by studying the light, its reflections and its subtle movements.

J.M.W. Turner often accompanied his work with poetry and Cade's alternate muse lives in the realm of music composition. Cade's creativity seems to share a symbiotic relationship between his music and art- which is arguably inseparable in his eyes and is admittedly contagious.

Although centuries apart, the Turners share an incredible propensity to discover and capture the explosive sensitivity and meaning in light that the everyday eyes often miss. Cade's attention to even the slightest difference in gradient creates a never-ending rich palette of colour. Symphony of Light, exhibiting from July 23rd until August 3rd at Depot II Gallery, marks the next chapter in Cade's photography: much more than proof of his original and creative mind.  

For more information, visit www.cadeturner.com

New Work: North Head (2012)

       

North Head (2012) is a series I began at North Head Sanctuary, located in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches last November.  These gentle landscapes are inspired by the great painter of light, Joseph Mallord William (JMW) Turner.  JMW Turner has taught me to appreciate the incredible richness and variety of colours that can be found in the softest of tones, created by natural flora and fauna.  With the naked eye, many of these colours are difficult to see.  By decontextualising the scene in-camera, I am able to free the light and colour from their fixed and precise position, allowing them to live and swim more freely, giving the work added depth, colour, energy and emotion.

New Work: La Piscina

       

La Piscina (The Pool) (2012) was captured at Collaroy Rock Pool last November at the break of day.  As with all of my work, these have been captured completely in-camera (no post-production work). 

As a series of two works, it is the latest from my oldest style, Intermission, developed from 1998.  It originates from my fascination for searching for hidden scenes during mid afternoon, away from the action, while life is perceivably happening somewhere else or at other points in time.  For me, this is a golden time when light casts vibrant colour and angled shadows, bringing a new and mysterious mood, sense of meaning and significance to particularly insignificant ‘moments in between’.   

Intermission is largely influenced by American Realist, Edward Hopper (1882-1967), Australian artist,  Jeffrey Smart (born 1921), and UK-based album artist and designer, Storm Thorgeson (born 1944) who is known for Pink Floyd's iconic album covers, including Dark Side of the Moon (1973).

NOW OPEN: Cade’s new studio joins the Pittwater Artists Trail

I’m really excited to announce the opening of my new studio at Narrabeen, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, which is now open every Saturday morning from 9am to 12pm.  

This studio is also part of the new and vibrant Pittwater Artist’s Trail – a community of many professional, local artists and artisans from Sydney’s famous Pittwater area who regularly open their studios directly to the public.  Anyone can drop in, have a coffee and be inspired!

As well as two annual open weekends in 2012 (19-20 May and 27-28 October), you will find there are a number of art studios open for you to visit just about every day of the week.  The Trail is a fantastic way for those living in the area to connect with many inspiring and talented photographers, painters, sculptors and jewellery makers, who all welcome visits and sell their work from their home studios.  

To discover all the artists, studios and opening times, visit www.pittwaterartiststrail.com.au.

Cade Turner Fine Art Photography Studio
Open every Saturday 9am-12pm or by appointment
11 Loftus Street, Narrabeen NSW 2101 AUSTRALIA

Tel: 0448 282 926
info@cadeturner.com.au
www.cadeturner.com.au            

New Work: Palazzo di Colori

Palazzo di Colori, 2011

Palazzo di Colori, 2011, was captured in Nolita, New York City, while on tour for my first exhibition.  Like all of my work, I shoot within a single frame (no montaging or multiple exposure) and my work undergoes no afterwork.  Once the shutter closes, my work is done.

Palazzo di Colori (Palace of Colours) is a continuation on my fascination with light, colour and movement, loosely connected or suspended together in a somewhat abstract fashion, which allows us to reflect on this scene from a completely new visual dimension.  

I roam the streets, mostly with my eyes out of focus, searching for first impressions that strike me with extraordinary moments of light and colour.  Once I find my colour palette, I then study it until it speaks to me.  There's barely any logical thought process involved.  I let myself go to emotionally connect with the colours and shapes being created.  Sometimes this happens instantly, but sometimes it takes a while to find the true story I want to tell.  Sometimes it doesn't work at all, and so I move on.

I love working with the camera loosely, using non-traditional, self-taught techniques, allowing colours to mix and intertwine and create new visual dimensions.  These days, I rarely use a tripod.  In fact, I find a tripod quite restricting (like crutches).  I connect with my camera like a painter to their brush, or a musician to their instrument.  It's an extension of myself that moves and flows emotionally with me, capturing the real energy from the scene in front of me, not in a split second, but within a passage of time. 

More new works from New York releasing shortly...

Cade's New York Exhibition Opening: Altered States of Reality

 

Click here to view the... OPENING NIGHT VIDEO

If there was one place in the world every artist dreams of kicking off their international art career, New York City is it!  Ten months ago, that is exactly what happened...

Leading contemporary art gallery, Agora Gallery, is situated in the heart of Chelsea, New York's distinguished art district.  In February this year, the gallery contacted me via email to offer what would become the chance of a lifetime... professional gallery representation in New York City!  At first, I thought someone was playing a practical joke on me, but I soon discovered this offer was very real.

Some ten months later, after weekly emails with the gallery staff, I was winging my way to New York for the launch of my first group international exhibition, Altered States of Reality, which officially opened on Thursday, 3 November 2011.  

I was lucky to be able to be there to celebrate it with my family and meet some incredible artists.  We had a great turnout on opening night and the Agora Gallery Team are incredibly professional, curteous and supportive of all of their artists.  Better still, they cross every 't' and dotted every 'i', ensuring the exhibition was a seamless success.

It was great to meet the gallery team after all these months of emails and spend some valuable time with Gallery Director, Angela di Bello, who knows the NY art scene exceptionally well and has given me some excellent advice for the future.  I look forward to what the future holds with Agora Gallery and New York City!

Here are some more images from opening night...

 

 The snow blizzard had cleared, just in time for a great opening turnout!

Canola Sea, 2009 and Pink Dragon Tokyo, 2010 on show 

Gallery guest, admiring Tasmania's beauty, through my eyes... 

 (From left to right) So lucky to celebrate the opening at dinner downtown NY 

with my supportive family - sister Hollie, my mum Lynne and lovely wife, Kelly

Scott Pioro from Aussie rock band, Goodbye Motel, 

stopped past for the opening and post celebrations!

 

 Enjoying a relaxing walk in downtown Nolita NYC, the morning after opening night

New York, New York: Selected for NYC art exhibition

I have been selected to exhibit in a photography exhibition in the heart of New York’s art precinct in November.

New York City is a long way from home, but that’s not stopping me heading to the Big Apple for an exhibition in New York’s Chelsea district. My work was chosen, along with nine other artists from around the world, for the Altered States of Reality Exhibition, which will be on from 2 - 23 November.

Agora Gallery, NYC, first noticed my work through a previous Sydney exhibition in the Danks Street Complex in Waterloo.  “Cade’s limited edition photographic prints provide a refreshing view of the most basic elements of optical experience,” says Angela di Bello, Director, Agora Gallery, New York City.  “Inspired by the ‘visual freedom’ of the Impressionist school, Cade’s graphic experimentation or ‘painting’ with light, colour and movement results in stunning photographic abstractions that push at the stubborn edge of traditional photography,” she said.

I leave for New York at the end of the month. For more information on the exhibition, see my News & Events page on my website at: http://www.cadeturner.com.au/news.php

New Work: Sunburnt Country

Sunburnt Country IV, 2011, by Cade Turner 

Sunburnt Country is a new four-piece series shot in Scone, NSW Australia.  I really wanted this series to reflect the rural Australian landscape through a fresh, Impressionist style.  

Scone's countryside is quite dry and it can be challenging to find the right elements to work with that will produce a striking result.  I found by overexposing, I was able to achieve my colour palette, and by framing the large sky in the top four fifths of the frame, I was able to accentuate the enormity and dynamicism of the sky, in contrast to the minimal specks of the trees and cows.  The use of movement allowed me to erase and painterly blend some detail of the cows, trees and grass, which helps emphasise the huge sky.

In the three other works of the series (below), I pushed the exposure even further.  I wanted to push the scene's raw elements to their very edge, without losing context.  The series was shot completely in camera, single frame, with no montaging or afterwork.  

Enjoy!

 Sunburnt Country III, I & II, 2011, by Cade Turner

New series: Renaissance de la nature

I was pleased to finally get a break from the city and head into the country at Easter to capture some new works.  Since I was eight, my father and I have been camping on a beautiful property in Scone, known as Belltrees (4 hours north-west of Sydney).  The Belltrees property has been owned by the White family since 1831.  My father has actually been camping on this property since he was 17, through a school friend.

I have called this particular series Renaissance de la nature (Rebirth of Nature).  I spent an entire afternoon down by the Hunter River which flows through the centre of the property.  I loved the blades of the last moments of sunlight which pierced through the trees, highlighting fine sections of the swirling water.   

When you sit by the flowing stream up close for some time, each moment seems to flow right into the next.  I wanted to get in between these moments, each twist and collision of water that was occurring in front of me.  I really wanted to use movement and long exposures to help me stretch time and portray the incredible beauty and dynamicism of these extraordinary moments, which are individually unique, yet impossible for the eye to see, let alone process.  I feel that each of these glimpses allows us observe the constant life cycle of nature at its minute level.

Where did my creative journey begin?

I have always felt a strong, emotional connection with light, shapes and colour.  But, although I was good at drawing and painting, it just didn't happen.  

In fact, my first artistic phase came through music, when I joined my primary school choir at the age of ten.  As soon as I had my first session, I was eager to learn the piano. I  borrowed a mate's miniature, single-octave keyboard and taught myself to read and play all the songs in our choir book.  This was the tipping point that convinced my parents to invest in a piano.

My piano was an old, WWII German up-right.  But to me, it was  just awesome to have 88 full-size keys! Within a few months, right before my 11th birthday, I had completed my first composition, which I called Mysterious Anonymous.  Twenty three years on and some twenty compositions later, Mysterious Anonymous remains my favourite written piece.  

Music was my life for ten years until my 21st birthday when my grandparents bought me my first Nikon 35mm camera.  This marked the beginning of my second phase: Art photography. 

For the past 12 years, I have dedicated my creative energy to art photography (film and digital) and have taught myself some unique, non-conventional techniques which have shaped and continue to shape out a certain contemplative focus on mood in my work.

Today, I find myself more inspired by painters, particularly the great Impressionists.  For the past two years, I have been exploring Impressionism through the lens (also known as Pictorialism), which I will discuss further in other posts.

I feel I will soon approach the third phase in my art journey - where my music and photography finally come together... more on this shortly!

Hello and welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog! 

I really wanted to establish this blog so people can scratch the surface and learn more about me, my creative journey as an artist, and what inspires and drives me to create my work.  

Please feel free to engage with and become part of this blog at any time.  I encourage you to post your comments and feedback, or just sit back and enjoy the odd post every now and again ;)  

Also, if there's something you'd like to hear more of, just ask and I am happy to respond!

Cheers,

Cade