Dane Lovette

I just stumbled upon the most amazing art works by Dane Lovette, a fine arts, still life artist. His works heavily feature retro music devices filled with songs by some of the world greats including Micheal Jackson and iconic Tupac. The vintage VCR's and mixed tapes which are painted to look like vivid photographs are juxtaposed with images of beautiful plant clippings that are placed in glass jars or arrnaged neatly around them. Mixing the ever-evolving technology of our modern world with flower cuttings creates such an interesting aesthetic. Extremely alluring... I am In love.

Below is a interview transcript I found on Lovette from The Design Files Diary.

Tell me a little about your background – what path has led you to what you are doing now?

Well I always liked to paint things as a kid, but during high school I started to fall in love with technology, I got my hands on Photoshop 4 and it dragged me into it’s drop-shadow vortex and led me to study graphic design and animation. I continued to paint while I was studying and eventually it took over. I moved from Brisbane to Melbourne in 2007 and completed my honours in painting at the VCA and I’ve been here since.

Where might we have seen your work?

I have shown my work mainly in Sydney and Melbourne. My most recent shows were Paintingss at Westspace (Melbourne), Dedication at Chalk Horse (Sydney) and Blow Out at Linden in St Kilda. Russh did a nice article on my work last year also.

What challenges have you faced since finishing your studies, and what advice would you have for young artists hoping to find representation and exhibit their work in Melbourne and beyond?

I think the challenges that I faced when I came out of art school are quite universal – all of the sudden the support group of tutors and peers is dispersed and you have to start making work on your own. I remember one lecturer saying that you have to make sure that your work is actually interesting because after uni no one is paid to be interested in what you do – I’d never really thought about it like that. My advice to would be to to stick by your buddies cause they’ll be the ones that stay around in the long run, and to just keep making stuff and checking out what others are up to. There are lot of artist-run spaces in Melbourne, so there is no shortage of places to show what you make, and there are so many people creating work around town that the idea of spending ridiculous hours in the studio is not so strange.

How do you describe your work to random strangers / long lost family members if they ask?

I would mumble something about washy still-lifes and technology and wait for someone else to come in with a more elegant description.

What is one of your favourite pieces?

I really don’t have a favorite piece, I’m always trying to make a better painting and hoping to make a perfect painting but it hasn’t happened yet.

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

Last year I moved from a studio in the city to a warehouse Northcote where I live and work. This has changed they way my day runs quite a bit and I think I’m only just getting used to it now. In the beginning I would feel guilty if I was just hanging out, I’d feel like I should be being productive – in the studio all the time and never watching Masterchef. Now things are under control – my day in the studio usually begins around nine, I get up fairly early, play around on the net, check emails and the weather many times, and then head downstairs to start painting. My day is broken up according to my dog’s needs (walks and toilet breaks) and heading out for a coffee. This routine often goes out the window if I have a show coming up and then I’m really grateful I don’t have ride to the studio in the winter.

Where do you turn for creative inspiration when beginning a new piece or new series – nature, travel, books, the web etc?

The web has always been a major source for material, I find things to paint all over the place on blogs or sites like Flickr and eBay. The past year or so I have also been making still lifes made out of things like CD’s, old synthesisers and plant clippings from around the neighborhood.

Which artists/ designers / creative people do you admire?

These are some artist that have been on my brain lately…. Sally Ross, Kim Dorland, Ryan Mosley, Bryan Spier, Tomory Dodge, Jake Walker, Nick van Woert. I’ve been looking at Margaret Olley‘s paintings a lot too. My friend Andre Piguet has been making some very lovely shiny paintings lately. I’m also looking forward to Jackson Slattery‘s show at Sutton in February. My old studio buddy Laith Mc Gregor. My GF Kirra Jamison. My Neighbor Katie Marx. My brother Tim always inspires me too.

What would be your dream creative project or collaboration?

To actually make some kind of film with my brother.

What are you looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to some aero-plane fun this year – In May I have a show at Colette in Paris and then in July it’s off to Tokyo for three months for an Australia Council residency.