Behind the Scenes…

24 Jan

Posted at 18:07h in Behind the Scenes..., Painting Story by
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All living things contain within it the seed of great potential.   From the moment of conception, it already has everything it needs to reach that potential through the growing process.

Sacred Spiral Nautilus was painted using mixed media on a 60” x 48” canvas.   

(ORDER A PRINT REPRODUCTION OF SACRED SPIRAL HERE)

This painting was commissioned by Shane, a fellow Resonance Science Delegate.  We met while on a Resonance Delegate cruise in 2016.  On that trip, we explored the Pyramid of the Sun in Bosnia, the largest pyramid in the world.  Shane is one of the most brilliant scientists I’ve ever met.  He and I would sit in on the lectures and then stay up all night contemplating the concepts we just learned.

Shane wanted a sacred geometry piece for his new home.  His windows overlook the water in Vancouver, Canada, and he wanted his painting to represent a nautilus shell and geometry that expresses the energy of living things.

Below is my description of the painting, the meaning, and the process:

The Sacred Spiral Nautilus painting was inspired by spin. This beautiful shape perfectly demonstrates how everything is growing from the field of energy that we cannot see.

Elements in the painting have been applied in multiple overlays of transparent and pearlescent paints.  My process is done with the intention of allowing the viewer to see through each layer, providing a 3D effect as the light catches it.   As you move around the painting, it changes, allowing for multiple viewing experiences.

The painting contains an underpainting of more than one hundred layers of paint, meticulously added over a period of six months.  These layers express the flow of water, which is the key component to all living things.

I chose to paint two nautilus shapes in both directions creating the toroidal shape of cyclones and galaxies.

This shape is seen in many plants, air currents, and water.   The shape itself is called the fibonacci spiral.

Its mathematical ratio is an articulation of the process:  1 and 1 make 2,  1 and 2 make 3,  2 and 3 make 5, and so on.

The background of the painting is the Flower of Life pattern in overlapping circles.

I imagine the flower of life background as the field of energy that we cannot see.  It scales ever smaller and larger.   

It is everything from Galaxies to atoms.   It seems to be a self organizing system or process that is constantly building everything we see.  And it is beautiful.

The geometry in this painting is built upon the Fruit of Life, one of the building blocks of the Flower of Life Pattern. The center of these circles, when connected in straight lines, creates Metatron’s Cube.

This symbol, Metatron’s Cube, is called many things;  The Star of David, Sign of Solomon, and the Merkaba.  

To me, this shape is an articulation of ever-expanding and contracting energy fields that create the patterns we see in nature and all matter.  

Metatron’s Cube shape contains all of the Platonic solids.  One of the most difficult to create is the three dimensional Dodecahedron.  

To create this, you create a circle from one of the mid points of the triangles to the center, and continue along those midpoints until you have gone all the way around creating six circles.

By connecting these points to all others you will reveal the three dimensional dodecahedron.

The multiple layers of the painting encode interlocking concepts that have been passed down from Ancient times.  Once you are aware, you begin to see them everywhere.  They are beautiful to us because it is the order of the Universe.

The water dripping throughout the painting represents the fluidity of energy in which all of this happens.

My intention is that this painting will reveal a deeper understanding of what is happening in nature, all around us.

Life is good – Drew

 

Drew Brophy, Artist
Brophy Art Gallery and Studio
San Clemente, CA
Ancient Wisdom-Modern Art

26 Dec

Posted at 11:49h in Behind the Scenes..., Lectures or Workshops, Live Event Painting, Shows & Events, Wheres Drew by
34 Likes

You can paint anything with water based paint pens!  

Learn Drew Brophy’s tried and true Uni Posca Paint Pen Techniques in this hands-on workshop. 

Drew has earned a good living as an artist for over 30 years, using the medium of opaque, water-based paint pens made by Uni Posca.   He has painted surfboards, skateboards, motorcycles, guitars, canvas, just about everything, with this medium.

UNI POSCAS offer a quick learning curve; it’s an easy, un-intimidating method of painting.  Artists who try it fall in love with the possibilities of this medium.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:

This is a full day workshop, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break in between.   (Lunch is on your own – there are many places to eat within walking distance of the workshop.)  WORKSHOP IS ONLY OPEN TO TEN PEOPLE.

All painting supplies will be provided, all you need to bring is your imagination and your sketchbook (optional)! 

You will begin and finish a painting in this workshop, regardless of your experience level.  In one day, you will learn Drew’s most impactful techniques, including HOW TO: 

  • Prepare your painting surfaces
  • Create the perfect composition
  • Design color schemes
  • Blend the colors
  • Use Drew’s color blending combinations
  • Properly seal your art on various surfaces
  • Earn money $$ using these painting techniques

This is a rare opportunity for artists to spend time with Drew on a personal level.  This is his first hands-on private workshop in years.

Drew will welcome questions during the workshop about the business of art and will freely share what has worked for him as a professional artist for over 30 years.

WHEN:  January 27th, 2018, SATURDAY, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

WHERE:  Brophy Art Gallery and Design Studio, 139 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672

SIGN UP: Three ways to sign up:

1 – Go to PAINT PEN WORKSHOP SIGN UP

2 – Call Maria Brophy at 949-678-8133 with a credit card number.

3 – Send payment in the amount of $275.00 via Paypal to mariab@drewbrophy.com – include your name and phone number in the comments section of the payment form on Paypal.

THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU IF YOU FALL UNDER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

  • You are an artist who has mastered other mediums and want to try something new to get your creative juices flowing, or;
  • You have never painted before, and want an easy-to-use medium to begin your endeavors as an artist, or;
  • You have been using water based paint pens as a medium but want to up-level your skills, or;
  • You have never tried the paint pens, but you want to learn.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WORKSHOP?  Email mariab@drewbrophy.com or call 949-678-8133.

IMPORTANT:  Sign up quick – class is limited to ONLY 10 artists!

*Please note some of our links lead to affiliate sites where we may earn a small commission if you purchase from our links*

Uni-Posca Paint Markers

09 Nov

Posted at 09:56h in Behind the Scenes..., Painting Story by
23 Likes

This is a sacred geometry painting that was commissioned by employees and friends of Doug Francis, the CEO of Weedmaps, for his fortieth birthday. 

It was very moving for me to create this artwork for him, as it is evident that he is deeply loved by the people who work for him.  While painting it, I couldn’t help but wonder, what kind of person do you have to be that would inspire this level of devotion from your team.

When I get a commission for a sacred geometry piece, it’s really important that I understand what the collector wants.  In this case, they wanted a specific teal green color, sacred geometry and a very subtle leaf incorporated into it.

It was important to me to get it as close to what they wanted as I possibly could.  It can be difficult to follow specifications exactly, with this type of commission, because sometimes the painting will do what it wants.

I love how this painting turned out.   It took a few months from beginning to end, and when it was finished, I was incredibly happy with it.

Below is my description of the painting, the meaning and the process:

Like all plants, the cannabis leaf is a beautiful representation of the intelligence of the Universe.

The seed of the cannabis plant, before it is even put into the dirt, holds within it a blueprint of its magnificent potential.

Water provides the seed with a trigger and the building blocks that enables the seed to grow. The seed grows leaves so that it can collect the light from the sun.

The geometry of life is already there, and the water and the light conspire to allow it to fulfill its greatest potential.

This painting was designed to demonstrate the geometry of the leaf and to celebrate the beauty of how purely intelligent it is.

The measurements of the leaves very closely follow the Golden Number 1.618 and the Fibonacci Sequence.  The leaves expand as if reaching for the light.

It makes you wonder; how does it know what to do?  When Shamans say “the plants talk to us,” they are describing a vibrational message they pick up from the plants that will assist in healing. It’s possible that the information being read is encoded in the shape and the fragrance of the leaf.

This is a glorious thing that nature provides, giving us medicine and nutrients to enable us to also fulfill our own potential.

GEOMETRY AND THE PROCESS OF PAINTING SWEET LEAF:

Sweet Leaf is painted on a canvas sized 48” x 60”, using a proprietary mixed media process that I have developed.

The artwork contains an underpainting of more than one hundred layers of paint, meticulously added over a period of months.

I then laid down the flower of life pattern that served as a map representing the field in which everything is contained.

The next step was to add the geometry with the simplest formula, which is radiating circles of 1.618, the Golden Ratio of Phi.

The Golden Ratio is found in the design and beauty of nature, everywhere.

Each circle is 1.618 larger than the circle it surrounds. What I found, happily, was that the cannabis leaf lays nearly perfect on the proportions of the Golden Number with each blade of the leaf matching the circles.

Then I took the arcs of those circles and made intersecting points, finding that it was the basic blue print for the leaf itself, creating a beautiful geometry.

Next, I painted in a ghost image of the actual leaf that floats within the geometry.

All together it demonstrates the perfection of nature. It’s a beautiful pattern, which is the fundamental building block of life as well as the building block of design.

We have to wonder, why does this look appealing to us? The geometry, the leaf, the plant? Our minds find it beautiful because of these ratios and design elements that are taken from nature.

We recognize it, sub-consciously, as divine.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN RATIO AND THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE:  

In nature, all living things contain the 1.618 Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Sequence.

The Golden Ratio is an average of the growth rate of all living things. The Fibonacci Sequence is a ratio describing the same effect.

Everything is spiraling out of nothing.  It’s as though light is growing. It is taking the light and the water and constructing something out of space, and builds at that rate, in balance.

For example, in your hand, each one of your bones is 1.618 smaller or larger than the others. If you fold your fingers, you’ll see that they curl in a spiral, much like the Fibonacci Sequence.

Everything in nature is perfectly proportioned.   In art, when you use these formulas, it is more beautiful to us because we subconsciously recognize the proportion that we know to be in all of nature.

Nature is attempting to grow as efficiently as possible and just so happens that nature has figured it out.

We are connected to all life forms and the Universe is just one big potential that we all are striving to access.

We are a part of a connected Universe.

Please leave a comment below if you enjoyed this painting story.

Thanks- Life is good – Drew

 

PS:  Here’s a Youtube Video that I made explaining the process and the painting.

 

 

10 Aug

Posted at 19:30h in Behind the Scenes..., Wheres Drew by
30 Likes
This week I’ve been working on a few painting projects; two fine art surfboard commissions and two sacred geometry commissions.  (You can see them in progress on Instagram.)

But the big news is this:  My favorite paint pen company, Posca, and I have teamed up and they are finally getting Posca paint pens distributed in the USA.

Posca paint pens have been my medium of choice since the late 1980’s, especially for painting surfboards, and I also use them on canvas and most everything else.  They enable me to work fast, they blend easily and the colors are bright and bold.

For more than a decade, I’ve wanted to make Poscas easier to get in the USA.  Now its finally happening, and I’m stoked that I’ll be doing selected Posca painting demos around the country at different art stores and events.  This has helped me get back to my roots and demonstrate my beginnings painting surfboards, which is so much fun.

(Look for Posca to arrive to your local art store, and if they don’t have them, ask for them.)

This August 18 and 19 is the RIP CURL GROM SEARCH at Jenette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina.  

I will be there with the Posca crew, guiding people to paint their own surfboards using Poscas.  

If you’re local, come see me on the beach at the Pier – I’ll be do what I’m always doing:  painting.

If you have any questions for me, leave a comment.  I read every one and would be stoked to hear from you!

Life is Good – Drew

Drew Brophy
Artist, illustrator, surfer
San Clemente, CA 

18 Jul

Posted at 16:52h in Behind the Scenes..., CASE STUDY by
32 Likes

CASE STUDY: POWERADE Surf Open – Live event and Painted Surfboard Twitter Campaign

CLIENT: Stutze Marketing, Mexico City, Mexico

WHEN:  July 2017

MISSION/SCOPE OF WORK:  Generate excitement at live event in Acapulco during the Powerade Surf Open event.  Encourage use of #Haypower on Twitter during the event.  Paint a Powerade branded surfboard for a giveaway campaign on Twitter.  Give away and sign posters donning Powerade branding to spectators. 

During the surf open event, Drew Brophy painted live as spectators watched.  People were encouraged to take photos with the surfboard and post on Twitter, using #Haypower hash tag.  

The artwork was designed by Drew to incorporate the surf spot of the contest with iconic images of the region.  Powerade’s logo was strategically added to the surfboard design so that it would be visible in all fan photos.

Drew Brophy designed the give-away posters with one of his most popular images, Sunrise, and the Powerade logo was placed on the poster for branding effect.

RESULTS:  The live surfboard painting and poster giveaway was the most exciting feature of the event out of the water!

#Haypower was the number one hash tag on twitter during the days of the contest.

Many fans and spectators engaged in the contest; a happy winner was able to take the painted surfboard home.  Hundreds of posters were given away.  Powerade gave many people a memorable weekend.  Mission Accomplished!

21 May

Posted at 08:26h in Behind the Scenes..., Live Event Painting, Shows & Events, Wheres Drew by
41 Likes

Surrounded by Posca Art in Drew Brophy studio

JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATION OF SUMMER!  

An explosion of Drew’s colorful new paintings on canvas and surfboards will be exhibited at The Art Center Gallery in Westminster, CA, June 23 & 24, 2017.

We limit Drew’s art exhibits to two each year.  This is Drew’s first art exhibit of his surf art paintings of 2017.  New, never seen before paintings will be available to the public for the first time.  

Come join us for the following events:

Friday June 23rd:  5-9 p.m.   Art Exhibit and meet and greet with Drew.  See new original artworks never before exhibited, meet Drew and add a painting or a print reproduction to your art collection.

Saturday June 24th:   1-4 p.m. Drew will be doing a live painting at the Gallery.   Watch Drew do a painting from start to finish, using Posca paint pens.   We will be shooting a Facebook Live Video while he paints, so if you can’t be there live, tune into Facebook here.

WHERE:  Art Center Gallery,  2075 Westminster Mall , Westminster , Ca , 92683 – phone 866-254-6523

Open to the public.  Hope to see you there!

16 Mar

Posted at 16:35h in Behind the Scenes... by
39 Likes

It’s tough to spend most of my life working to be known as a surf artist and then to make a complete change in style and subject matter. 

It’s like starting all over again.  But I’m not afraid of change.

 

Some of you have followed my work for decades.  Most of you love the ocean and the idea of living a carefree lifestyle, and that’s what pulled you into my work.

I’ve painted surf inspired art for decades and now have transitioned into my new style which incorporates energy, physics and mathematics. 

But if you break down the surf art and the sacred geometry art, it’s actually not very different.

Both depict the awesome energy of nature and the essence of what it means to live a life well lived.  They just show it in different ways.

Many of you are embracing the explorations I’m making but some look at my newer works with confusion.

Regardless of which camp you fall into, I appreciate you sticking by me on this journey.  If I can lead you into some thought provoking ideas, even if you don’t resonate with them, I’ve done my job as an artist.

Below is an article I wrote for Awakenings Magazine this month.  It explains why ancient symbols are a great fascination and why more and more people are diving into their meaning.  I hope you enjoy it.

I would love to hear your take on these ideas – please leave a comment on this blog post with your thoughts – I read every comment and appreciate the feedback.

Life is good – Drew

 Ancient Wisdom-Modern Art:  Thought, Symbols and Concepts by Artist Drew Brophy

Article printed in Awakenings Magazine Feb/March 2017 Issue

There are timeless symbols that we are all familiar with, such as the cross, the Star of David, the vesica pisces and yin and yang.   We see these symbols all the time, yet many don’t know their true meaning.

Many of these symbols originate from a time when people had a deep understanding of the way the Universe works, an understanding that we lost a long time ago.

The symbols that ancient artists created were describing ideas that they understood and wanted us to remember.  But, it seems that over time people lost the true meanings and for the past few thousand years we have been rediscovering the truth.

Archimedes, Pythagoras, Plato, Da Vinci, Newton, Tesla, all were great thinkers who have led us back to discovering our true potential.  I feel as an artist I am at the crossroads where art, math, and science meet.

We tend to think that everyone sees the world as we do, but most are missing the magnificence of what’s happening around us.

I love nature and surfing and this is where my journey began.  I could always sense the subtle energy happening around me, capturing the natural patterns that make up our world.

 A surfer becomes part of the rhythm of the sea, riding waves of energy created by storms that traveled from far across the globe. It is astounding that humans can navigate this massive amount of energy creating an experience that can only be described as pure joy.
 
Surfing led me to studying meteorology and the science of what makes these magical waves that I love to ride.  I wanted to know more about what influences the weather and began studying solar dynamics and planetary physics, and that’s when I had an AHA moment that changed my view of everything.
 
The concepts I learned describe forces that we mostly cannot see but that affects matter that we can see every day.  You can call these forces prana, ether, firmament, space, or energy.   The Universe is obviously working in a very organized system.
 
That led me to studying theoretical physics and as I explored the ideas my artistic mind began to imagine the very difficult concepts being discussed.  It led me to symbols, geometry, and mathematics. These are languages that we use to describe our world and how it works, and they are beautiful.
 
An Artist’s job is to expose these beautiful ideas and articulate them into a medium which others can understand. 

My paintings are an attempt to understand the information that has been passed down for us.

It is strangely familiar to me.  I’ve become more curious; what can we learn about ancient symbols, geometry, and mathematics, through art?  

Maybe we will remember something mankind once knew and has long forgotten.

I feel we are ready and it is happening.

 

I’ve created a series of paintings that are inspired by sacred geometry and ancient symbols, view them here.

10 Mar

Posted at 09:37h in Behind the Scenes..., Shows & Events, Wheres Drew by
42 Likes

Sacred geometry is woven through all-that-is.  It is the invisible architecture of creation.  It raises our vibration and touches a deep chord in our soul’s memory.

This ancient language describes a definite order of physics; how everything works.  When we understand how it all works, we have the tools we need to become extraordinary.

Greater understanding allows us to tap into the power of, and to be in harmony with, the Universe. 

Drew Brophy has created a series of paintings to visually prompt a rediscovery of this ancient language.

Join us on this journey at Awakenings on March 18 for a casual discussion of these ideas and an exhibit of the artwork that is inspired by them.

All paintings on exhibit will be available for purchase that evening.  

WHAT:  Exploring Sacred Geometry & Ancient Symbols – an Art Exhibit and Discussion with Drew Brophy

WHERE:  Awakenings Conference Center, 25260 La Paz Road, Suite D, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 949-457-0797

WHEN:  Saturday, March 18, 2017 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT:  An art exhibit of Drew Brophy’s work inspired by sacred geometry and ancient symbols and a casual discussion about the where these symbols originated and what we can learn from them.  All paintings are available to purchase and take home that evening.

QUESTIONS:  Text or call Drew Brophy Studios at 949-678-8133 or  Call Awakenings at 949-457-0797

03 Mar

Posted at 08:10h in Behind the Scenes..., Painting Story by
26 Likes

“Three-fifths of an octopus’ neurons are not in their brain, but in their arms; each arm has a mind of its own.”  Sy Montgomery

GNARLY OCTOPUS is painted on at 24″ x 36″ Fredrix Canvas, mixed media.  

The painting is a play on the band Dirty Heads’ mascot, the octopus.  In this painting, the octopus is eating Magical Butter off of a spoon.  (Scroll down to see the video of me painting this.)

All of this stuff comes from my imagination, naturally.  People think I take drugs, but I don’t.  My natural state is wide open.

In real life, I see shapes, expressions and bright colors that most people don’t see. I put these things into my paintings.

Would love to send this octopus to a good home.  You can buy it here.

Some of my paintings are created as illustrations for a particular use.  It works like this – my illustration client will buy the rights to use the digital artwork and then I’ll keep the actual paintings to sell to my collectors later.

I create my illustrations old-school and paint them on canvas so that they will make for a collectible piece of art.

The actual painting doesn’t have lettering or anything on it that will take away from it as art – it’s designed so that it will make for art that will be hung.  

It’s a great program, because I have been able to turn most of my illustrations into art that is collected by people around the world.  Over time, many have become a little slice of history.

Usually, I’ll only take on art commissions that I know I’ll enjoy.   If something comes along that I won’t like, I turn it down.  You only do your best work if you’re having fun.

Today’s painting, the Gnarly Octopus, was one of three paintings that I created for Magical Butter.  They wanted artwork for a 2016 summer concert tour for Sublime with Rome and the Dirty Heads.

I loved working with Magical Butter, because they are a company of fun people who are creative and open to new ideas.  And, listening to the bands’ music kept me going through the process.  It was a lot of fun.

If you want to talk to me or Maria before deciding to add Gnarly Octopus to your collection, call or text the studio at 949-678-8133.

01 Mar

Posted at 10:59h in Behind the Scenes... by
22 Likes

“Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction.”  E.O. Wilson

The Singing Schrooms is painted on a 36″x24″ canvas, using mixed media.

Scroll down in this post to see a live video of me painting this art piece.

Singing Schrooms is one of three illustrations I created for a concert tour poster for Sublime with Rome and Dirty Heads, sponsored by Magical Butter Machine.  

The idea for this painting was inspired by my fascination for nature.  

Sometimes I look at mushrooms and they look so happy and I was imagining a bunch of them singing.

Then, somehow as I painted, the singing mushrooms took on a life of their own and wound up looking like the three band members of Sublime with Rome; Rome Rarmirez, Josh Freeze and Eric Wilson.  It’s probably because I was listening to their new album, Sirens, while painting.

Would love to see this painting go to a good home.  It was recently exhibited at The Edibles Awards in Los Angeles and is now released to the public.

While it lasts:  you can buy it here: http://store.drewbrophy.com/singing-shrooms-24×36-original-painting-on-canvas-by-drew-brophy/  – Sign up for my newsletters to get 10% off.

If you want to talk to me or my manager, Maria, before deciding to add this one to your collection, call or text the studio
at 949-678-8133.