Shaun Ellison

My work is largely inspired by the textures of the urban landscape, particularly graffiti. Texture in the city breathes and enigmatically shapes the environment where it appears. In my work on canvas, the textures become the subject matter as they form the life of the painting. I am also inspired by African stone carvings and the raw free expression of tribal arts which speak the language of spirit and ritual. Largely influenced by both abstraction and Neo-Expressionism, particularly aspects related to spirituality and the subconscious. For me, these are the forces that create the painting rather than an impression or conscious ‘idea’. I prefer rather to let the painting be the process and the process be born out of life.