FAQ

Q. Do you accept commissions?

A. Yes, but not always. It is a case by case thing. I prefer commissions that are flexible and recognise my path as an artist. That said, I can also do straight up realistic portraiture based on photographs you provide, but I need to approve the photo first. Not all photos translate well into paintings. If you are thinking of a commission that incorporates a portrait of someone you know AND my vision together - I will require multiple shots of the person, as well as an email detailing who they are and what they’re about. I like to get a feel for who I’m painting, and feel inspired by them or their story.

Q. Do you offer PAYMENT PLANS?

A. Yes! Payments can be made via credit card, PayPal or bank deposit. We need to talk about it, and work out what’s best for us both. Please understand I cannot begin a painting without an upfront payment though, as materials cost money. Canvases alone can cost anywhere from $50-300 each, depending on size.

Q. I HAVE NO MONEY, what’s the best way I can STILL support you?

A. I feel you! Follow me on social media - instagram or facebook links are at the bottom of my website - and engage with my posts or share them on your own social media. Sharing is caring and it is MASSIVELY appreciated by EVERY artist!

Q. What is visionary art?

A. Ok, so I’ve never actually been asked this… but I wanted to answer it anyway! Visionary art is more than just ‘art made by people who take drugs’. It is about raw emotion, the ineffable, the spiritual and the sublime.

Alex Grey has an informative essay entitled “What is Visionary Art?” so, to quote him: “The visionary realm embraces the entire spectrum of imaginal spaces; from heaven to hell, from the infinitude of forms to formless voids. […] The visionary realm is the space we visit during dreams and/or altered/ heightened states of consciousness.”

It is also a place we can access through meditation. To me, visionary art aims to promote intuition and healing. To make the unseeable seen. To nurture connection to all those who are open to it. You are not weird, the western world has, by and large, lost its way. It is about illuminating the pathway ‘home’. Honestly though, there’s labels such as fantastic realism or surrealism and I feel they’re all pointing to the same truths.

Q. What is dark art?

A. I won’t pretend to be the ambassador of the Dark Art Movement (I’ll leave that to Chet Zar! Check out his awesome podcast Dark Art Society)

I don’t even consider my art that dark. But here’s what I know: Dark art is a huge umbrella. There are MANY styles that fall into the category of “dark art”. Some date back as the early as the 1500s. The truth is, there is no real “dictionary definition” for Dark Art. I define dark art as anything that is dark in either aesthetic or subject, or both.

I’d say in terms of the ethos and popularisation of Dark Art, most would think of H.R. Giger or Beksinski. Giger has been quoted as taking inspiration from his nightmares. Beksinski said he was inspired by music: music is a painting that unfolds over time. Music is another portal to the ineffable.

This is where I see a marriage between Dark and Visionary art, and I’ve been calling it…

Dark Visionary Art.

“People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” –Carl Jung

Q. HOW DID YOU LEARN TO DRAW?

A. Let me start with this: Anyone can learn to draw, at any age!
I have been drawing since I was a kid. I had “how to” books for drawing cartoons and anime. I was obsessed with cartoons as a kid, and then anime as a teenager, so a lot of my love for drawing started there. It wasn’t until I was older that I acknowledged my life path as an artist and started to take ‘learning to draw’ seriously. It is a life long endeavour - a marathon not a sprint - but you can improve your skills just by re-drawing photos and doing a little bit every day. Consistency is key. Read my blog post about learning to draw.

Q. Do you take students?

A. YES! I have started to run workshops, in person and online, to share my methods and how I use art as a vehicle for healing. To stay up to date about that, get on the Darq Army mailing list and opt in for the artist tips & tricks (click the link in the email).