Deams work reflects a “graphic tapestry” of graffiti art, graphic design and abstract impressionism. Inspiration for which is sourced by his observations of architecture, textiles and repetition in nature. Currently residing in Melbourne, Australia – he works as a graphic designer, art director and painter. He is also an active member of AWOL CREW, an international collective of graffiti artists who combine and collage their distinct styles for seamless results.

1. What would you say is the most important theme in your work?
My current themes stem from exploring balance, transience, emotional and aesthetic relationships. I try to achieve a state of flux in my work. I enjoy the different perspectives I can create within a piece and the various ways people perceive them. By creating multiple interrelating narratives one can hold the audience’s attention and lead them to re-discover their their own creative potential.

2. What’s most inspiring to your working process?
Breaking my own rules. The discovery that I must discard systems and processes that I worked so hard to create in order to evolve. This becomes a continual flow of building order and introducing chaos to achieve a harmony between elements.

3. Have you any strange talents that influence the work you produce or the way you produce it?
I have developed an unusually accurate ability to calculate geometry by visual approximation. This helps my process because I am not a great mathematician, nor do I want to spend the times doing numbers, it’s not my language.

4. Which artist of the past would you resurrect to collaborate with and why?
John Coltrane. He has a way with notes that I would like to express visually in my own work. I get a lot of my inspiration from music, the moods and tones musicians create. I often wonder if people get the same physical and emotional sensations from visual art? A session with Coltrane, where we do some creative experiments together would be an interesting experience.

5. Do you think your work is understood or misinterpreted and why?
There are many levels of communication in my work, both conscious and sub conscious levels of expression are essential. It is surprising how an underlying concept is conveyed on a sub conscious level, often leaving me spun out by how accurately something was executed but unknown to myself at the time of its creation. In regards to interpretation, I feel like my work has become increasingly understood, which is surprising to me because of its abstract nature. I try to connect to peoples inner child, an uninhibited realm of simplicity and wonder.

6. If you could decorate one place in the world what would it be and how would you do it?
I would love to decorate an entirely abandoned town. A place where no one resides, to live there for some time and have an ongoing conversation with the existing structures and their struggle to keep the natural world at bay. I imagine this would involve a lot of sculptural work and a few million litres of various coloured paint.

7. What to date has been your ‘cherry on the cake’ moment and what was it that got you there?
So far I would have to say my last solo exhibition ‘Swoop & Melodie’ was a cherry in some ways. This was because of the rate I evolved through the production of the work. The concept grew naturally, I worked outside my comfort zone, the work stepped above and beyond what I would have though possible and I proved to myself that I was capable of anything.

8. What we ask everyone! Does your artistic style influence your underwear?
Interesting question. I work hard to make my work fresh, I also like to wear fresh underwear?
Actually there probably is a connection with my preference in colour.

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More info www.swoopandmelodie.com
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