As our neighbourhood slowly became submerged and almost unrecognisably transformed by the rising tide, people emerged and connected in a way not usually seen in most Brisbane suburbs.

Somewhere along the line, most artists paint landscapes. It’s sort of an evergreen genre – so vast & varied, it’s almost farcical to label it under the one roof.

I’m not much of a one for rooves, but here are a collection from the frequent visits to my all time favorite hideaway: The Main Range National Park in Queensland, that Mr. Cunningham opened up many years ago, and in particular Goomburra camping ground.

Already, it’s become a habit to lump a pack of brushes, paints, easil & canvas panels on my back & wander off on a trail to some great spot to paint on site, much to the amusement of other bushwalkers.

The central business district of Brisbane, Australia is a place in flux – now more than ever. Since hosting the 'World Expo' in 1988, the city has developed a skyline that has very little resemblance to the way it was 20 years ago. Bold, contemporary structures are poking their way into the sky with swagger and economic confidence.

Stepping back a few paces one sees these shapes over a foreground of the older Brisbane that most of us still remember; a slower moving, more relaxed city; one that seemed a little more friendly, with a bit more time on its hands. The most ostentatious building of the old days, City Hall, is now merely a dwarf among towering edifices.

It’s impossible not to sense the passing of an era as the brave new world plunders the past.

‘Atmospheres’ is the name I give to these skyscapes; an ongoing series of work, focused on the fugitive vistas that fill the Queensland sky close to sunset.

Although they’re literal up to a point, I am not attempting precise representations, because I’m married to an excellent photographer who saves me the trouble!

I am after expressing as best I can the sense of wonder that draws me back again & again to this form. The smearing of coloured paste (that’s what painting is) may not be the best way of doing it, but it’s hard to resist, and the results sometimes work well.

It all starts with a seed; whether it’s a plant or a human, the life begins wrapped tightly in a mass blithely called ‘potential’ by the biologists – as though they really understand it. Before the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune scar and disfigure – distorting the life force into bitter-sweet success, the fresh bud is smooth and rounded as it pushes outwards in the timeless response to an inbuilt urging to bring what is not into what is.

Plant from a nut; Fruit from a flower; A child from passion.

The husk speaks of the shape of the kernel inside a tough layer of protectiveness that doesn’t resemble it at all. It’s all very primal & an awesome mystery. If my painting can convey anything of this, I’ve succeeded.

Most of these were created using the fluid medium of pen and ink, which can manuipulated by using water on the page to create various interesting effects

Clouds are such curious formations. They look solid, but they're not. They look static but they're never still. They are in a sense illusions, especially those fleecy cumulus ones. The fugitive nature of these vistas is part of their appeal; to freeze a moment in their elusive transit and observe the forces of change that constantly well up within them has been my task. We in Brisbane are particularly grateful at the sight of rainclouds since a lengthy period of drought took its hold some years ago.

Because of the somewhat unusual nature of these works, I feel some explanation is due.

The ‘Epiphanies’ series is born out of many experiences in my life of the more invisible nature - such as the struggles we all go through in our motivations. I believe that life is not just a stream of meaningless events in a basically benign world, but that failure and success always hang in the balance, and our ability to face challenges will decide the outcome.

Being an artist, I see principles in picture form, not so much in words, hence these are not merely semi-abstract landscapes or nude studies (valid in themselves) but illustrations of concepts and principles of a successful life.

My choice of male figures exclusively is quite natural and reasonable. Firstly, being a man, I can better illustrate stances and expressions in that gender. Secondly, in an abstract sense, here is the basic human representative - stripped of affectation and disguise, not dated by any style; he demonstrates struggles that are timeless. There is no lasciviousness implied; any interpretation of that nature is your own, not mine.

Lastly, I’ve always enjoyed painting the human figure. My fascination with how the limbs move and the muscles twist is an abiding one and finds expression in many of these works.

The texts that accompany each painting may help in fathoming the principles behind the pictures (if any is needed).

You may notice in some of them a dimension of devotion that is entirely intentional. Being a Christian, I happen to believe the story of Jesus to be actually true. In fact, I see the history of Man as inextricably tied to Him - past, present, and future. Better writers than myself could put it more succinctly; I would rather say it using paint on canvas.

I became aware of Bible Numerics many years ago in a Bible study course, thanks to the writings of Kevin Conner, an Australian (now resident in N.Z.) theological scholar and pastor. I have since been reminded of these principles many times throughout my Christian journey. The traditionally accepted principles of Bible Numerics are fairky simple and not too difficult to interpret. Within this (what some would call narrow) focus, I find a wealth of material that, serendipitously, meshes well with my approach as a visual artist. Though decoration has always been welcome in many churches, true art, in all its wide variation, is not greatly encouraged, as its very nature is unrestrained and liable to flights of fancy – not always appealing to church leaders wishing to encourage sound doctrine. With this in mind I have been careful to retain the standard interpretations in my use of numerics. Simply put: there are various numbers and combinations of numbers that speak of certain distinct themes within scripture: for example The Trinity is, of course, referred to in the number three; five relates to the cross; seven is used consistently regarding perfection or completeness, and so on. It is an abstract subject and so I treat it abstractly. I have not founf this at all difficult, as I was trained in abstract art back in my Uni days. We were taught to see in abstract terms, rather than the pictorial ways that are more popular today. (My main mentor in painting has jokingly called me an 'abstractionist in disguise' which, as funny as that sounds, is probably very accurate.) But I also want to make my works descriptive – I am not about mystifying people. You will find, if you look closely enough, pointers to various numbers that refer to the positive aspects God. I have chosen to avoid sixes, elevens and thirteens due to their association with aspects such as chaos, sin and rebellion. I have always been someone who actively praises God - and I don’t intend to do otherwise in my painting.

Every artist should be open to suggestions, and I am no exception. As a visual interpreter, I have had the priveledge of realising the ideas of many interested clients. An idea can be hazy or unformed, communicated in words only, until it put in the hands of someone whose business is pictures.

If the idea of a commission is something you would like to explore, please don't hesitate to contact me...maybe we can arrange to meet for a chat and plan putting your ideas on canvas.

Epiphanes Book by John Bell: 40 pages - a selection of works from the series 'Epiphanies' by artist John Bell. Full colour reproductions with enlarged details AUD $39.95 (+ $5 for posatage within Australia) Overseas: AUD$59.95 contact: johnbellartist@gmail.com