Acclaimed Melbourne Skateboarding Artist Brett Ashby to
Paint the Legendary Sam Newman.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Wednesday 7 June, Melbourne: As part of the Inner Essence series ground-breaking multidisciplinary artist, Brett Ashby will paint the portrait of Sam Newman this June. Since moving to Docklands as part of the Renew Shopfront Activation Program Ashby has held regular performance art exhibitions where he has painted subject portraits whilst riding his skateboard, supported by a live musician.
Operating under Brett Ashby Institute of Fine Art, live art and gallery titledInner Essence the trailblazing artist, musician, performer, and author is halfway through a 12-month residency at the site. He has since commencing, presented a diverse offering of exhibitions and events. Known for his live event portrait painting on a skateboard of internationally recognised musicians, Ashby will add the iconic AFL legend and TV and Radio Presenter to the rostrum. Showings across diverse industry subjects at the venue are weekly with the skateboard ramp a fixture in the space.
An artist like Brett only comes along once in a lifetime. He is an internationally acclaimed contemporary, public and performance artist with accolades spanning the globe. Artist. Cancer survivor. Performer. Muralist. Director. Author. Singer. Ashby is many things and like all creatives isn’t confined by the construct or genre. His chosen tool is a skateboard where he creates beauty through chaos, using a chakra palette of paint colors only. This in some ways can be viewed as a reflection of life’s complexity, seen as energy and aura.
Ashby began exhibiting his work in the USA in 2009 where his photographic collage artworks resonated with art collectors at Art Basal in Miami, most notably his artwork of the 44th U.S. President, Barack Obama. A graduate of RMIT and MA Queens Collage Of Fine Art in London, his commissions include Sculpture by The Sea in Bondi, Art Town, The Olsen Melbourne, Art Series, Cube Art Fair, New York. With a career spanning 15 years Ashby has forged a name with his unique performative and public art practice and his works are in collections around the world including in Texas, Berlin, Cape Town, London, Tokyo, Paris and New York.
Sam Newman will join a list of subjects including Zana Pali, Bessie Kay, Scott Major, Steve Alba singers Tania Doko, Phil Jamieson, Fred Leone, Dallas Frasca, Lisa Edwards. “He is a very talented artist,” said Lisa of the experience, “and is a true gentleman and very professional in how he works, engages and expresses his artistry.” The portrait of Newman will be painted in front of a select audience on Thursday June 8 from 7pm – 8pm and is sure to be another incredible piece of performance art.