Kylie Daniel

Q. Can you tell us more about your artistic journey and what inspired you to become an abstract artist?
A. My artist journey began a long time ago but it wasn’t until the last 3-4 years that I really started to focus on this current style. I didn’t choose abstract art – it kinda chose me. I love the way abstract art can be perceived in many different ways from many different people. I might see land, somebody else might see sky and the next person, well, they might see something entirely different again. That’s what I love. 

Q. How would you describe your artistic style?
A. My artistic style is very different from what’s been seen
before. My landscapes are more raw and aggressive in a way that captivates the audience. Lots of heavy textures, rough and smooth surfaces and different finishes. I don’t like to use conventional art products, so you won’t see a brush in my hand, except during the final stage when I apply varnish. I create every piece to take the viewer on
a journey, deep in the Australian Outback.

Q. What role does the Australian landscape play in
your personal life, and how does that influence you?
A. The Australian landscape is all around us, but I take
my inspiration from more desolate areas. I love the look
of unforested land and wide-open spaces. 

I spent a lot of time on the road managing rock bands and my favourite places to visit were always the areas where the land took centre stage. No beaches, or green grass. More harsher climate affected areas. That is what has influenced my style.

Q. What mediums and techniques do you employ in your mixed media abstract landscapes?
A. I’m often asked what my technique is and like most artists, we are happy to tell you some things, but we like to keep a little secret up our sleeves. I will tell you that some of the products I use are not traditionally designed to be in artwork, but I’ve found a way to incorporate them to get the desired effect I’m seeking.

Q. You mention a focus on showcasing the grittier and raw aspects of the Australian landscape. Could you share how you achieve this in your artwork?
A. The way I achieve the raw/grittier aspect of my landscapes is by using lots of browns and blacks to create ground cover and to highlight the colour of the land. I also like to place an abstract tree line in the distance to show the depth of field and vast open land. Finally, I add a lot of negative space to fake frame the piece.

Q. The tactile element of your art is extremely evident. Can you tell us about the textures you use in your paintings and how they add to the overall experience of your art?
A. As with the lands surface, it’s not flat and has geological
features and I like to capture those by using lots of heavy
textures to add a 3D depth to the pieces. As for the tactile
experience, I encourage the viewer to touch and feel my
art as a way of taking them on a physical journey to the Outback as well as the visual journey.

Q. Your colour palette incorporates neutral tones, strong
blacks, and earthy browns. What do these colour choices
symbolise for you?
A. I love this colour palette as its usually very well suited
to any wall colour, and it also looks great with any style
of décor or architectural design. It is calming, serene and evokes a general feel of warmth. It won’t overpower all of your other furnishings, and finally, this colour palette is very versatile, it can be downplayed or played up to suit
any room.

Q. Where or what is your happy place?
A. My happy place is my studio where I have the freedom
to just create. When I’m in my studio, I’m committing to a memory and putting that memory onto the canvas. 

It takes me away from my day to day and transports me to
another time and place and that is exactly what I want my viewers to experience as well. If my viewers can feel that, then I know my job as an artist is complete. 

Q. Can you share on how you achieve the sense of freedom and joy in your pieces?
A. I capture the overall feeling of freedom in my pieces
by showcasing vast areas of remote, undeveloped land, unspoiled by progress. By taking us to those places, we
feel a sense of primitive connection with the land itself
and when life was much simpler.

Q. What do you hope viewers take away from your abstract
landscape paintings, both visually and emotionally?
A. I want viewers to be taken on a visual and physical journey to the Australian Outback which evokes a calming emotion. A time to take 5, unwind, relax and enjoy the whole experience of my artwork and to forget about life
for a little while.

Q. Are there any artists or artistic movements that
have influenced your style and approach to abstract landscape painting?
A. Whilst there are a number of artists that have
influenced my art journey over the years, this style is uniquely mine and has been perfected over the past
2-3 years. Artists I do love and admire would be Pollock, Gehard Richter and Salvador Dali for his satire.
De Koening would also be another favourite artist

of mine. Maybe all these artists have had some influence in my artistic style as I wouldn’t be where I am today without viewing their pieces.

Q. Can you describe a specific piece of work that you feel
particularly proud of and share the story or inspiration behind it?
I’m proud of all the artworks that I release in a collection, however there are 2 pieces that are really close to my heart. The first piece would be “Dusk Over The Plains”.  This piece is inspired by the outback town of Cobar, NSW.  The image of the pink sky and red dirt left a lasting impression on my memory and that’s how I painted this piece. This is one of the very first pieces I completed in this style and every other piece has since been created in the same method, capturing an image stored in my memory.

The second piece would have to be the artwork chosen
by Steph & Gian for their master bedroom reveal on this year’s The Block. That artwork “Open Fields Dusk” was a real labour of love, taking a very long time to finish. It’s the piece that really solidified this style for me. Knowing that Steph specifically chose this piece to compliment her “japandi” style of decor, meant that I was on the right track and that this earthy toned theme, and my colour
palette was here to stay.