Local realism art on display
Some of the regions best artwork has just gone on show at the West Gippsland Arts Centre, showcasing the work of realism artist, David Alldridge.
Born in Melbourne, at the tender age of seven Mr Alldridge was given a grey lead pencil and decided to draw a tree and his passion for art was born.
He attended a workshop in 2011 in Yarragon but wasn’t taken, as he describes, he couldn’t get the detail he wanted in his drawings. However, saw the advertisement again a year and decided he would give it another go. The flick switched.
Mr Alldridge then switched from pencils to pastels and brought his very own technique to the art.
“I developed my own technique, I actually use two hands, and someone told me that worldwide, they’ve only ever seen one other person do the same,” he said. “It’s just the way I’ve always done it, I draw with one then capture softeners with my other hand, it’s just what I started doing and I can’t remember when I started doing it.”
His realism paintings have had many doing double takes at art shows, asking the question whether his pastel drawings are actually photographs.
Mr Alldridge said his inspiration comes from his photography background and being able to get into the midst of what people cannot see.
“A big one was just one of a frog’s eye” he said. “Inside the pupil of the frog’s eye you can actually see me in it, so I called that one ‘self’. I like being able to bring the smaller things to life.”
Detail is something that Mr Alldridge prides himself on.
“An exhibition up in Mirboo North, which I won, some of the frogs I drew were next to a photo and some people couldn’t tell the difference,” he said.
It hasn’t just been canvasing art that he’s worked on either. Mr Alldridge recently finished completing a 35 metre long mural for an animal sanctuary in Lara which he said was a challenge, but something he enjoyed.
“I actually had to teach myself how to paint, it was a challenge and a lot of work, but it was worth it, I was able to have access to the area 24/7 to photograph the pictures for the mural, so it was a great experience,” he said.
After relocating from Melbourne in 2007, Mr Alldridge’s inspiration also comes from his work at a school camp in the La Trobe Valley.
“My boss has actually purchased 3 of my paintings to put up at the site, they are all animals that are found at the camp so it’s nice to be able to do those,” he said.
The challenge of a commission job was something that used to spook Mr Alldridge, but now, after many years of experience, he enjoys taking on the different challenges that come from the public looking for a specific piece of art.
“In the beginning I was a bit scared when someone would ask me to do something, but now I love it, when I’m able to hand something over to someone and to see their reaction, that’s what keeps you going,” he said.
The way Mr Alldridge talks about the art showcases his passion for the craft.
He recently appeared in a TV show that followed the process of him creating one of his pastel works, giving viewers a window into the amount of time it takes to bring the peices together.
“Sometimes it takes months, depending on what and how big each piece is,” he said.
“I’ve been told I’m a perfectionist, so the detail does take a very long time.”
Now, he is hoping that some of his artwork can make it into a few permanent galleries across the Mornington Peninsula.
Mr Alldridge artworks are on display at the Arts Centre right up until the 28th of February and all on display are for sale. If you would like some more information regarding the artwork, visit www.davidalldridge.com.