David Barnes

David Barnes is the artistic director of his brother's band 'Of Montreal', which how I discovered him! I wanted to know who designed the majority of the album cover's and it turned out it was David, and I soon discovered I loved his art. Below is an album cover by David.

Santanic Panic in the Attic

He also worked on a music video for his brother song, 'Gronlandic edit' with Nico Danger It's really unusual and a pleasure to watch!

   

On his website Barnes describes how he works:

"Artistic approach involves the practice of transforming modern concept to reveal nostalgic mood, sometimes refered to as “Oldification”. Recycled elements, faded colours, layered/collaged backgrounds, and sand~papered imagery all play a part in this process, along with the use of bold observational line and memory dissolved Rockwellian imagery. Often disregarding conventional rectangular canvases for manipulated wooden shapes to help emphasize theme and subject, I try to use art as a translation of experience and observation that derives inspiration from environment and memory."

He happens to answer all of the question that I wanted to know, without causing me hours of research for me, so I like him even more so.  I find it really interesting that he uses wood shapes, I'd like to research this further. He has provided me with a lot f thing to go on and a lot of things to think about when getting ideas for my work. A lot of people get inspiration from the environment, perhaps I could look for a more abstract environment. 

Go

I love this, it's a pice of art called go, it's childlike with the scribbled out face, but it to me seems to be quite emotional full of anguish- at a glance I think playful until I look at the bunny rabbit running and the dripping thundercloud. I love his use of mixed media, it's been painted on wood (I think) and has areas of type and it's almost like a montage.

These are some similar pieces that are done in what appears to be a similar way:

Happy

Nice Day

Don't Bother

For me there's something quite sinister about these cheerfully coloured artworks, they're almost like oxy-morons, they look at a glance the opposite to what they're saying.

This is an observational line drawing

This is an observational line drawing, I absolutely adore the way he has captured the moving, and how it's shaky like in a car journey. David Barnes has become an instant little gem, and find I would love to keep a secret he makes me want to go out and paint! His website also includes a range of links, where I assume he gets inspiration. I am mainly interested in the collage effect he has used and the emotional side, it makes you think and almost plays with you mind.