https://vimeo.com/140620823 You can usually find Australian artist, James Ettelson, painting in a large, open room of the abandoned mansion he's recently moved into in Palm Beach, Sydney. The place, equipped with a pool, tennis court, and plethora of rooms is due to be knocked down, which is why rent is so cheap, but until then, Ettelson plans on continuing to use the space as his artistic haven. The self-taught painter normally will paint until about 2am or 3am, knock out for a while, and then get up around ten, have coffee, go for a surf and come back and paint for the rest of the day.
However following his solo show this past July, Ettelson has taken to a more secluded lifestyle; living and creating on his father's 10-acre farm in Scotts Head. In hopes of taking some time out from the hustle and bustle of Sydney and work on some commissioned pieces, Ettelson lives a simple life: wake up, jump in his "Toaster Van", surf, come home, and create. Ettelson's large-scale mixed media canvases reflect his attraction to nature and open space, as he uses acrylic and spray paint to create layers of wavy color and fluid depth.
Sydney based creative studio Lagoon Collective just released a short video on James Ettelson, where he shares how the ocean and nature serve to help clear his mind and further push his art.