Sandgate Art Society (SAS)
The brainchild of Brisbane architect John Blackley, Sandgate Art Society is a place to dedicate one night to uninterrupted artistic pursuit; which is not always easy for people who lead busy lives.
SAS welcomes novices, intermediate skilled, art teachers, and professional artists... anyone who would like to work in a warm friendly atmosphere and share skills, inspiration and encouragement to continue art practice, on a regular basis. Here are some mini-profile on some of the artists:
DAVID CROSS
Born and raised in the USA with a Masters Degree in Art, I was a Visual Art Educator for 40 years, lecturing at University and High School levels, primarily in Australia. Throughout my art career I have been asked to curate and judge numerous exhibitions in the Brisbane area as well as in the USA, exhibited in many solo, group and juried exhibitions and been awarded numerous accolades for my paintings.
Composition, and how one views a work of art was one of the guiding principles in my teaching of Visual Art. I encouraged students to be creative, and gave them a platform to express this creativity.
Retiring from teaching in 2008, I now devote my time to my own art practice. The ongoing catalyst for my inspiration is from my local environment, but also from my many travels both in Australia and overseas.
Everything I observe has the potential to be a painting, whether from natural and organic surroundings, or the man-made environment. Colour, shape, line and texture all alter when light plays on the surface. I am fascinated by cast shadows, reflections and tonal changes on a surface as well as how the time of day and atmospheric conditions can reveal something new and exciting to the eye. My passion is to interpret what may or may not be seen at first by a casual glance.
In the last few years, I have explored various themes and subject matter that is inspired by the above observations. The Shorncliffe Pier, a favourite focus, has been painted from many different angles and times of day and dusk. Glass and how light changes as it passes through it
