Creations from the man cave

The Art on the Move touring exhibition, sponsored by the Act-Belong-Commit Engagement Program will display the works of Perth based artist Neil Elliott, who aims to engage hands and minds through the creations made in his man cave. 

Mr Elliott said he wants to encourage others to become interested in art and using recycled materials. 

“My grandfather was an oil painter and I used to watch him paint when I was a kid and that inspired me and got me interested,” he said. 

The Adelaide born artist moved to Perth with his family in 1978 and decided to pursue a career in graphic design.  

“I left high school in year 11 and I went to study graphical art at Perth technical college and I worked in newspapers for a couple of years as a cartoonist and designer. I left there and worked as an art director for a few studio advertising agencies for a couple of years and in 1990 I set up my own business as an illustrator and then in 2003 I decided to take up art full-time,” he said.

“Initially I was just a painter but until I moved to my studio in 2010, with power tools that meant I could start making sculptures which is something I always considered doing. I initially joined a sculpture group and learnt some skills there and quickly realised I needed to learn more skills, so I went and did a woodworking course and also enrolled in mental work for sculpture course.”

He said he decided to focus his sculptures around using recycled materials.  

“I really wanted to focus on that, one because of the environmental aspect and two because every piece I used had a bit of history and a story and I think it gives my art character. My paintings are kind of quirky, mixed media cartoons and I wanted my sculptures to reflect my painting style and subject matter,” Mr Elliott said. 

The exhibition will start on June 22 at 6pm and will run until July 22. For more information go to www.artonthemove.com.au/ or www.collieartgallery.org.au/.