Poor Network Connection - Opening Night

The opening night of Poor Network Connection was very successful.  The exhibition will run for another two weeks at The Good Shepherd.

Progress of Shattered Screen

The process of painting the image then smashing it and rearranging the shards of glass.

Poor Network Connection

Poster for Poor Network Connection, Chaz Howkins, 2017, poster

Next Monday night is the opening of my next solo exhibition - Poor Network Connection at The Good Shepherd.  The exhibition will feature paintings, drawings and photography that explores the realities of a long distance relationship in the digital age.

Glass Experiment

Shattered Screen, Chaz Howkins, 2017, acrylic on glass

For this piece I painted directly onto glass, which I then smashed and reassembled.  I think this effect is visually interesting but may be a slightly too violent approach to portraying my subject matter.  I also think it's not as obvious as I'd imagined that the painting is done on glass as it has lost its reflective quality, so I will go over it in a glossy coat.

Cabin Fever Exhibition

Myself and my artwork: Ode to Henry Vincent, 2017, ink and tea on paper

Cabin Fever was an exhibition put on by students following a weekend visit to Wadjemup Bidi (Rottnest Island), we all created artworks on the island and then developed them afterwards for the exhibition.  The artwork I submitted was a poem I wrote after finding out about the dark history of the island in that it used to be an Aboriginal prison and is now covered in unmarked graves of the prisoners.  The poem is an ironic Ode to a superintendent of the prison who was responsible for many deaths and much mistreatment of the prisoners.  I also co-curated the exhibition.

Phone Call series

Phone Call #9, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pencil

Phone Call #4, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pencil 

Phone Call #1, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pencil

Phone Call #23, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pencil

Phone Call #29, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pencil

Phone Call #24, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pencil

These drawings come from an ongoing series in which all the drawings are 58x104mm, which is the exact size of my phone screen.  Each of the drawings are based on screenshots taken while video calling my partner.

Glass Experimentations

Computer Screen Print #2, Chaz Howkins, 2017, oil paint on glass

Computer Screen Smudge, Chaz Howkins, 2017, oil paint on glass

Computer Screen Print, Chaz Howkins, 2017, oil paint on glass

My intention for this piece was to paint onto a sheet of glass and then place another sheet on glass on top of the wet painting so that the paint is squished and distorts the image.  However when I squished the two sheets of glass together, the paint wasn't very distorted and the desired effect wasn't achieved.  I then pulled the two sheets of glass apart and found that the image left on the underside of the upper sheet of glass was quite an interesting, distorted shell of a portrait, so replicated the effect with another sheet of glass to create this triptych.

Quokka Painting

Quokka, Chaz Howkins, 2017, oil paint on paper

An A3 sized painting created after a trip to Rottnest Island.

Process of Screenshot #3

Process of Screenshot #3

This gif demonstrates the process I used to create the glitched effect on this painting - by painting over a series of squares of masking tape then removing and relocating them.  The gif demonstrates the make or break moment of the process.

Glitched Screen - Cardboard

Screenshot #3, Chaz Howkins, 2017, acrylic and masking tape on cardboard

I continued working on cardboard as it has connotations with relocation and represents fragility in a temporary state.  To create this glitch effect I created an abstract green painting as a base layer and then taped off small square sections, painted the image on top, then removed the masking tape squares and rearranged them as if they are pixels which have strayed from their original placing.

Glitched Screen - Cardboard

Screenshot #2, Chaz Howkins, 2017, acrylic on cardboard

I wanted to experiment with various techniques of creating glitch effects, so for this painting I first created an abstract green painting, then taped over two horizontal sections and painting the image of the face on top, then removed the masking tape to reveal two glitched sections.  While removing the masking tape, some of the painted cardboard peeled off with it, creating a further unintentional but genuine glitch effect.

Glitched Screen - Cardboard

Screenshot #1, Chaz Howkins, 2017, acrylic and oil on cardboard

Working from a screenshot taken while video-calling my partner, I wanted to replicate the glitched effect of a lagging connection.  For this painting I used a dry brushing technique to create the smudged effect.

Sketchbook Project Exhibition

The Sketchbook Project was run by Propel Youth Arts and invited people aged 12-26 to fill a sketchbook however they wanted and then have it included in an exhibition at the State Library of Western Australia.  My sketchbook revolved around the theme of feminism.

Recreating Diary Pages

Diary Deconstruction #1, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

Diary Deconstruction #2, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

Diary Deconstruction #3, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

A recreation of pre-teenage diary pages of cryptic messages about discovering my sexuality.

Feminism Sketchbook

#freethenipple Sketch, Chaz Howkins, 2017, collage and fine liner

Men's Nipples Sketch, Chaz Howkins, 2017, collage and fine liner

Some slogan images featuring photo collage of men's nipples discussing the hypocrisy of nipple censorship.

Feminism Sketchbook - Typography

Grab Them By The Patriarchy, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

Feminism Banner, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

Further experiments with hand-drawn typography exploring designs for protest banners using feminist slogans.

Feminism Sketchbook - Typography

Safe Abortions, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

Support, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

Kyrgyzstan Marriages,  Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

Experiments with hand drawn typography.  Potential designs for protest banners and the beginning of an exploration of laws which exploit women around the world.

Feminism Sketchbook

Vagina Fold Collage, Chaz Howkins, 2017, paper collage 

Vagina Fold Drawing, Chaz Howkins, 2017, chalk pastel

Using the fold of the sketchbook pages to portray female anatomy as an exploration of body positivity.

Feminism Sketchbook

Love Your Vagina, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner

A drawing done for International Women's Day to encourage inclusive body positivity.

Self Portraits

Reaction Selfie #2, Chaz Howkins, 2017, fine liner on paper

Reaction Selfie #1, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pencil on paper