I Am The Light Bender.

Visual Gluttony speaks to Matt Drysdale, sculptor, photographer, artist.

Let's jump right into it.

VG : So you describe yourself as an aspiring sculptor and photographer. When did your art start for you ?

MD : Not at high school, I failed Year 11 photography ! I had a good teacher and learnt a lot (thanks Mr Taylor). I got my grandad's Minolta X300SLR when I was an apprentice. From then I was hooked. I bought a few books on photography and started burning film. My metalwork started after seeing overpriced water features in a nursery that my dad sent me to check out. A week later I had made one for mum and a couple of months after that I was selling through a local gallery.

VG : Serendipity ! Can you tell us who or what inspires your creations ?

MD : In the early days I couldn't get enough of Peter Drombovskis and his beautiful Tasmanian landscapes. He was an absolute master of his trade. At the moment I am following the work of another Australian master Shelton Muller, and I'm hoping to attend some of his workshops in the next few years. The constant evolution of my work drives me to create. Making something that I like, then seeing that others do also, keeps me doing what I do.

VG : Indeed. Success breeding success. Your sculptured animals appear almost caricature-like. Is this the result of the materials you use, or simply how they evolve from your hands ?

MD : It has a lot to do with the materials. Every piece has a past life and therefore already full of character. I then bring them together and try to give each work it's own personality or attitude. I get great satisfaction from breathing new life into things that have been discarded. All of the materials in my sculptures are recycled. Copper pipe, brass vases, your gran's 70's copper art, silver cutlery and even the wire off the old Hills Hoist !

VG : You have said elsewhere that you wish your eyes could take photos. Do the images you capture take you by surprise, or are they intentional ?

MD : I was once told to learn to see as if you were looking through the lens of a camera. This was the best advice I have ever been given regarding photography. It changed the way I looked at everything. I still find myself doing this 13 years later without even realising. If the images I currently take are a reflection of what I see, then I want to know who's spiking my drinks !

VG : Indeed ! And what would you say is your favourite subject matter to photograph ?

MD : Everything is fair game. I get bored very easily which always seems to bring me back to abstract work. Watching people trying to figure out the picture is always a satisfying experience. I like to take pictures that haven't been taken before and could never be captured again. I believe I have achieved this with my lightbender work, as I couldn't get the same result twice if I tried a thousand times.....and I tend not to do "cliche" shots - I lived at Ayer's Rock for 3 months and came back without a single sunset photo.

VG : Your work is indeed interesting, and to be able to create something unique in this day and age is quite the achievement. In your photographs, colour seems to be a big feature. How does colour influence what and how you shoot ?

MD : It depends on the subject. At times it is important, others not so. I love all types of photography, and colour can be very addictive. On a different note the colours you get when heating up copper with an oxy torch are amazing.

VG : Now to touch back on light bending. What is it, and what were you hoping to achieve with those images ?

MD : Light bending is a technique I have been developing which is all done in camera, no photoshopping. It involves bending, twisting, folding, compressing and stretching light as it passes through the lens. You can use one, all, or any of the previously mentioned actions to achieve the desired affect. If you get one good shot in 100 it has been a good day.

VG : Sounds like a little bit of science meets art. Finally, what visually stimulates you ?

MD : Take the advice that I was given 13 years ago. Then go outside and look around. If you do this properly you will see for yourself where I find my visual stimulation !

VG : Thanks, Matt. The Glutton wishes you well in all your future endeavours. May your creative energies bring us all more to feast our eyes on.

Matt is an Australian artist and father of three, seeking a network of galleries, dealers, lovers of art and creative minded people from all over the world. His works, through Bent Copper Studios, can be readily found on Facebook.