The Artist’s Cycle Of Renewal

A Taste Of The New In Nerang

Many artists are drawn to rundown places because of their cheap rents and large spaces. This environment stimulates creativity and allows the artist to focus on what is really important in life…… deeper values and meaning.

Then, as many artists move to this less desirable area they work their magic introducing trendy looking coffee shops art galleries, boutiques etc………and prices rise. Soon the area is “the place” to live.

The irony is……..many artists are forced to move on and find another place to develop.

This was my experience in New York.

Arriving in the 80’s and setting up residence in a SoHo loft/studio in lower Manhattan.

The area was changing and by mid 90’s it area was being referred to as a “Mall” environment with most of the galleries moving to Chelsea on the lower West side.

I moved to a large loft in an old factory at the sleepy less known area at Long Island City just across the river from Grand Central Station at 42nd Street.

Such is…… The Artist’s Cycle Of Renewal

Now I find the same process at work where I am now…….they are advertising…..The Changing Face of Nerang.

Burgess 2013 (c) All rights reserved.

Welcome to………”160 Bleecker Street”

160 Bleecker Street

A new artwork in acrylic ink and charcoal.

Titled   :  “160 Bleecker Street”

Copyright Burgess 2013 (c) All rights reserved.

New work – The Painters

Art One – The Painters

New work. The Painters or maybe it should be called The Great Painters. This is in my normal grid format with color and words. In the past I did lots of work with numbers. Maybe it is time for some words.

Came across a quote I love and want to share with you…

Be realistic,

Plan for a miracle.

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

Last night I wrote more but on the lighter side wrote this….(oh must tell you I am a Numerologist even though I don’t do much these days)

What do the numbers says?

Is today the day to clean my teeth?

I don’t think so, wait until tomorrow….a Six day.

A day of home and domestic chores.

What about winning the lottery?

Last week was perfect, you missed your chance but your money luck will return in 18 years.

That’s when your 8 pinnacle will begin again.

Advise for the future : Become the best that you can be….no less no more!

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

“Two Miles to Heaven…..”

Two Miles to Heaven and Hell is Not in Sight

New painting. Title : “Two Miles to Heaven and Hell is Not in Sight”

Maybe the Heaven and Hell series has just begun.

Guess this one does not look much like approaching heaven. But since I have not been there I do not know. Maybe it is approaching Jackson Pollock’s Heaven? All I know is this painting emerged and the title was presented to me. It may still change. My art is ALWAYS CHANGING. So keep posted and see what happens. (it just changed)

Don’t ask why I posted the following. Things can just burst forth. I believe in honoring and trusting our creative spirit…..the Divine within. Sometimes it may not seem to make sense at the moment (of creation) but it becomes clear over time. Some call it a hunch, gut reaction, intuition, Divine guidance, Higher Self. It does not matter. All that matters is you listen to and obey it. It will not harm anybody because it comes from a source of pure LOVE and therefore should be embraced. It knows only Truth and as it is said………the truth will set you free (it might just seem to take a while).

“Crisp as a doughnut. Small as a flea.

This painting tells you …….a lot about me.”

So I guess it could be called

” Two Miles to Heaven and Hell is Not in Sight – A Self Portrait”

But as someone once said….

What’s in a name? That which we call a painting
By any other name would still just look like paint.  (Thanks Shakespeare)

Now back to the studio to find……. Heaven! (Hell is not in sight)

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

New York Show

Part of a New York Show

More reflections. This was part of a New York show I had in the nineties. I have continued to work in these formats (as well as others) but the works have changed a lot.

This side of my work is all about CHANGE and EVOLUTION. How things are always evolving into something else. How each part makes up the WHOLE while still maintaining it’s own integrity (greatness). Maybe a bit like how we fit into our community, country or world. We all make up the WHOLE. The Rowers shown recently is a newer work.

There is another side of my art which I am sharing mostly on my Pictify account. Link is http://pictify.com/user/Burgessart

This my fiery EMOTIONAL side where I allow instinctive raw emotions to express without censorship or editing. The squares are also the result of this energy but they are more focused, disciplined and contained.

Working in isolation has many benefits and has allowed me to explore lots of ideas and techniques etc. Also allowed me time for clarification and reflection for which I am most grateful.

Here is a larger image of the main painting shown above. It was 48 inches x 72 inches in size.

NY Painting

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Cate (Many Faces of)

Cate – (Many Faces of)

Here is one of my drawings of Cate …..Blanchett. I have worked on developing her images for several years.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Studio by the Sea

Studio by the Sea

I produced this painting last year. It is about 5ft x 8ft in size and was going to be entered into a competition but it never got there. Offers over $1,000,000.00 are welcome.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

The Journey….”The Red Balloon” – JNo12

The Red Balloon – A New Beginning

When I awoke I found myself on another plateau.

Nothing in sight in all directions. But it did not matter. I was different now……somehow.

All my fears had gone. I only felt….JOY!

Why? What had happened to me?

I could not remember anything except for an overpowering thought…….

“EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS WITHIN YOU.”

This seemed to give me peace in a way I had NEVER known.

Then I asked myself …what do I need now? Answer…..I need to leave this place.

So I sat down feeling relaxed and at peace.

A little while later I heard a dull sound in the distance. It was a huge red balloon coming towards me.

And so ended my magnificent journey.

The ending of this journey was indeed……. a New Beginning……. IN EVERY WAY!

Should you wish to start the journey from the beginning please go to  

Discovery – A Journey Into the Unknown – JNo1

About The Journey…… this is an actual journey I am experiencing right now. It began with a painting and I have no idea where it might be leading. The discoveries I am making are REAL but they are coming from my artworks. These are all new artworks and they are REALLY amazing me …. I hope you are enjoying them too.

All rights reserved. Copyright Burgess 2012- 2013 (c)

Castles are going cheap these days!

Today I felt like a new theme change. Hope you like it. It seems easier to read and navigate. Also I like my new small studio – left wing entrance shown at the top of the page. Castles are going cheap these days.

Any thoughts/comments are welcome.

The Journey…..”The Cracked Egg” – JNo11

The Cracked Egg

As I approached the sphere it started pulsing, increasing as I got nearer. It dazzled me with its splendor.

When I was close enough to touch it a giant crack appeared before me.

Then I realized… this was an egg not a sphere.

Soon the crack was large enough for me to enter.

It felt safe and welcoming. So I entered and as I looked around I noticed……. the entrance was quickly sealed.

The en Light en meant

Knowledge and awareness began flooding into my mind.

The first most powerful thought was….you have entered the egg to be reborn!

What?………Things come out of eggs to be born not go into them!

This thought rocked me to my soul.

Then even more amazing…..finally you have returned, now your transformation can begin!

I knew there was no escape but somehow I did not want to.

I was ready to embrace whatever was about to happen.

About The Journey…… this is an actual journey I am experiencing right now. It began with a painting and I have no idea where it might be leading. The discoveries I am making are REAL but they are coming from my artworks. These are all new artworks and they are REALLY amazing me …. I hope you are enjoying them too.

All rights reserved. Copyright Burgess 2012 – 2013 (c)

The Journey…..”The Black Forest” – JNo7

The Black Forest and the Truncated Pyramid

Refreshed from a good nights sleep I set out the next day with much greater optimism.

After all I had overcome the most difficult tasks I had ever encounted.

So with a merry but cautious step and whistling my favorite tune …. “always look on the bright side of life”, I knew this day would be good.

After about an hour…or maybe two I entered a place I could only describe as The Black Forest but rather than feeling threatening it felt calm and peaceful.

I could see off in the distance a looming object but it was obscured by the trees until I got closer.

It was a giant pyramid rising up before me…..except it was different. It was truncated!

Who or what could have built such a structure and why?

The sides were different too. They glowed and seemed to be alive and moving. It was like looking down on the earth from high above. No pyramid was ever like this one.

As I moved close to the surface it became still and solid. Suddenly a doorway appeared and I knew I had to enter it.

About The Journey…… this is an actual journey I am experiencing right now. It began with a painting and I have no idea where it might be leading. The discoveries I am making are REAL but they are coming from my artworks. These are all new artworks and they are REALLY amazing me …. I hope you are enjoying them too.

All rights reserved. Copyright Burgess 2012 – 2013 (c)

Things Change

View from Bleecker Street NYC

Prior to moving to Long Island City I lived in the heart of Greenwich Village (West Village) on Manhattan Island NY for many years. Many great writers, artists, musicians, poets, etc. have lived here. This was the view downtown from my small but magnificent 10th story loft on Bleecker Street.

It was a great time to be there. In the heat of summer people would sleep, party, make movies etc. on the rooftops directly below as the old song “Up On the Roof” says. At 3am the streets below were full of activity. People filled the restaurants, bars, nightclubs, etc. Often they were making major movies in the area and one night Whoopi Goldberg was filming right outside our main entrance.  It was always a buzz with activity. Soho was only one block south.

And every day off in the distance those two magnificent towers stood majestically above their surroundings as symbols of hope for all people to rise above their circumstances and make their mark in this world.  Things change and neither myself or World Trade Center are in NY now. Fortunately I still still have my life although it could have been different as I was about to go up the Towers on the fateful day of 9/11. Now that is another story.