Project Name
A Moment of One’s Own
Posted in
Painting
Artist
Stephen Baker
Detailed Information
Project NameA Moment of One’s OwnPosted inPaintingArtistStephen Baker

A subtle contradiction between style and subject matter lies in the paintings of Australian artist Stephen Baker. Whilst the main theme of these works may in fact be solitude, or as he himself has put it, ‘‘a particular moment in time when one is alone’’, he however likes to convey his chosen theme using bold outlines and colours that are cheerful and comic-like. Originally trained as a graphic designer, Baker has worked with various commercial brands over the years, itself an experience that has certainly influenced his personal work: for one thing, he still likes to use Pantone reference books in order to compose his colour palettes, and more importantly, he has become a master of simplicity, able to bring a whole scene to life using as little lines and colours as possible.

Stephen Baker, Boy with Yo Yo. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Boy with Yo Yo. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Untitled. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Untitled. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, The Lobby. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, The Lobby. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Pool Parade, 2014. Hand-painted mural on the façade of Fitzroy Pool in Melbourne, Australia. Photo courtesy of Stephen Baker.

Stephen Baker, Pool Parade, 2014. Hand-painted mural on the façade of Fitzroy Pool in Melbourne, Australia. Photo courtesy of Stephen Baker.

Stephen Baker, Man Walks into a Record Shop. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Man Walks into a Record Shop. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Boarding Time. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Boarding Time. Courtesy of the artist.

Literally drawing inspiration from everyday lifeBaker always carries his sketch book along with him on his daily travels across Melbourne, where he produces sketches of his surroundings. His paintings are the work of a keen, yet discreet observer of everyday life, since he likes to observe people in seedy bars, hotel lobbies, waiting rooms and other places which one would normally find banal and uninteresting. Maybe that’s why these works, in all their simplicity and abstraction, are so captivating: they manage to convey the essence of a mood, a place, a time, ultimately acting like ‘postcards of emotion’ from a stranger who wants to share his worldview with us.

Stephen Baker, Morning View. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Morning View. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Man at Rest. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Man at Rest. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Rough Day. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Rough Day. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Lucky Day. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Lucky Day. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Evening Scene. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Evening Scene. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Reception. Courtesy of the artist.

Stephen Baker, Reception. Courtesy of the artist.

A Moment of One’s Own: Block-Colour Paintings by Stephen Baker

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