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As a child I always found ways to draw and create, even when it wasn’t on the menu for the day. Maths became a place where I could compose intricate drawings of Pythagoras’ world; English a realm for me to explore the components needed to accurately reconstruct the Globe Theatre on paper and in oils. Even science offered me a place to refine my skills in sketching landscapes and getting elemental representation just perfect. But art… Art was where my real passion lay.
Being a product of the 1940s and growing up throughout the 50s and 60s saw little opportunity for me to explore these desires as I became bogged down in expectations of what a ‘real man’ should do. So I did them – I laboured, tiled, cooked, cleaned, built, constructed, gardened, drew and counted with the rest of them. I agonisingly tracked the minute hand around and around and around my watch face with the best of them waiting for the days to end so I could get home and rip into some drawing and painting. My weekends became a time of true happiness where I could redefine the face of the landscape through gentle brush strokes, bursts of passionate colour, streaks of ink and smudges of charcoal. I could reconstruct the world in shades of grey, bursts of colour and harsh lines of reality. And I could do all of this with my pen, pencil and paintbrush. In a haze of youth I travelled around the world – for many years guiding others through the majesty and charm of Europe, Scandinavia and Russia as a tour guide, working side by side with African people in Durban, South Africa and learning how to survive when your car blows up in the African Desert. I partied, drank, and enjoyed life with the best of them – the albums stuffed with photos filling my bookshelves at home now reminding me of those days. Coming home, I realised I couldn’t hide from who I was any longer. I became an integral part in the Newcastle, NSW Australia advertising scene and recaptured a part of myself I thought I’d lost in the rubble of the labouring industry. Art director, designer, and illustrator I loved the recognition I got from that world – I was finally able to be seen for who I really was. The 3am phone calls, deadlines, lack of sleep and pressuring lifestyle all became too much for me however, and I found myself needing to step away and recuperate before I lost more than my job and social life – before I lost myself. The late 80s saw me expand into the world of art and painting, and throughout the next few years I held many exhibitions and was able to define myself as Brad Lambert, artist, once again. Over the next 20 years with the rise of technology, I found people’s passion for painstakingly hand drawn art diminished in favour of new computer created, edited and refined pieces of art. When I needed to return to the labouring world to provide for my family, I realised once again that this part of my life was over – though I still held on to part of myself by turning to the lens of a camera to explore this new life I was living. A few years ago, I had an accident in this labouring work and have sustained permanent damage to my back. On top of that, recent heart troubles have left me struggling to provide the life I want for my children and myself and has also blocked my creativity. It felt like all hope was lost when in 2007 a raging flood ripped through my house and destroyed many of my personal and prized possessions. After eight long, agonising months of living out of a bedroom and cooking in the bathroom, I was finally back on my feet with a new camera to boot. It was a turning point for me – I became a member of this technological world with this digital connection in a way I had never been before. So I put my talent to good use and got back out there. I walked and walked, exploring the world around me through the lens of my Nikon. I saw how the natural world was transformed into art right before my eyes through that tiny viewfinder. Over time, I’ve discarded thousands upon thousands of photos in search of that one perfect shot to express the moment; to express myself. And these are what I have put on this website today. The journey has been long and arduous for me at times, but it’s all helped me get to where I am today. Thank you for taking the time to visit my site and browse through my work. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any queries or questions and I hope you enjoy spending part of your day in the world that is Brad Lambert. |