Mixing painting, poetry and music

5 September 2011
Graham Wolf is a man of many talents. A self-taught painter, poet, singer, guitarist and photographer, his first solo show lines the walls of Take 5 & Te Whare Marama’s Lounge Gallery in Lower Hutt until 27 September.

Graham grew up in Dunedin but now lives in Lower Hutt. His show, Pop Art & Poetry, showcases his paintings of celebrities such as Michael Jackson and famous figures such as Beethoven, Barack Obama and Lady Diana.

Describing himself as a “recycled teenager” and a “self-taught pop artist”, he says he was inspired to make art by two television personalities – Charlotte Dawson and Australian artist Rolf Harris.

Not surprisingly, Andy Warhol is a strong influence in his work. “My pop art idols also include Bridget Riley and Roy Lichtenstein,” Graham says. “I flirted briefly with the style of Piet Mondrian, then quickly gravitated into cuboid-neoplastic art, followed by pop art, where I have stayed.”

Graham writes poetry to accompany some of his paintings. In Pop Art & Poetry, he has chosen to include background music too, carefully selecting tracks and songs to match each portrait.

He says the mix of painting, poetry and music creates an extrasensory experience for the viewers. “The paintings and poetry speak to each other. And if someone doesn’t like the painting, well, they might like the poem.”

Graham makes his own boards and canvases out of recycled materials to respect the environment and to keep his costs down.

Chris Brown, Art Co-ordinator and tutor at creative space Take 5 & Te Whare Marama, is impressed with Graham’s artistic development. “Recently he started combining bright colours with his greys and blacks. The contrast between colour and greys has a stunning effect.”

Graham has been involved with Take 5 & Te Whare Marama since 1997 and as an artist there since early 2004. He’s been involved, on and off, in the publication of Take 5’s newsletter since 2007, and is currently a consumer representative on Take 5’s management committee.

“I get a lot out of working at Take 5. It’s given me the opportunity to create, to fine tune my psycho-motor skills, and to network. It gives me the space to continue my self-education. I’m a survivor."

Graham says that he is usually involved in four to five group exhibitions every year. He’s had work exhibited in galleries such as the Farsite Gallery in Petone, the Odlin Gallery in Lower Hutt and ROAR! gallery in Wellington.

He recalls his first foray into the art world. “I saw this skip bin outside my friend’s apartment. There was a huge canvas in it. I grabbed it and started painting. It was the twentieth of February 2004.”