Bob McKenzie……… an artist for collectors

Welcome.

My story and the message of my art:-

Born in 1947, I started painting in oils at the age of 13. I became hugely inspired by L.B. Elliot, who had been inspired by W.G. Wiles and Errol Boyley. A meshing of impressionists and loose realists formed the platform of my early work, but my greatest influence is Dino Parravano.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with him and his most lasting advice was, ‘Paint anything and everything. You will enjoy some subjects more than others, but you’ll learn most when you’re out of your comfort zone’. I tend to find myself selecting subjects based more on the quality of the light, than the subject itself. I only use my own photographs and although they are important, they are just structural references.

Nothing can replace personal experience. I need to ‘smell the dust’ to be able to contribute that extra dimension that will hopefully become the soul of the work, separating it from a purely mechanical reproduction of someone else’s experience. It’s also a beautiful excuse to visit exquisite places.

Inspiration comes from my last painting. If that happened to be a ‘beacon’ work, then I can’t wait to  get back to the easel. If on the other hand it was a bit ordinary, I am urged to recapture the freshness that was lacking. I believe there is no final destination in painting, only the journey.

My   Email is: macstudio@isat.co.za  or phone me on +27 83 693 2442