There is no doubt that colour has the ability to crack open the eyes of even the most weary of souls – and, if one has the ability to match swatches of vibrancy with free flowing, organic geometry, the harmony that ensues is more than palpable.

Taj Alexander, aka Deams of AWOL fame, has, through experience, influence and hard work, found an essential balance in a time honoured art theory – his mastery of clean geometry, lines and swaths of tone has given rise to a style that is, paradoxically, achingly familiar in feel and yet uniquely fresh in appearance. Intertwined abstractions merge seamlessly with asymmetrical patterning – which, coupled with his highly charged imagination and subject matter, results in gorgeous renderings from the artists hands.

We were lucky enough to get down to the opening of his solo show, Swoop & Melodie, at RTIST Gallery in Melbourne last Friday, and left with that sense of wonder one gets after having seen something inspiring – if awesomified was a word, that’s how we’d describe it. Having had a chance with this article to get an insight into some of Taj’s background, thoughts and views on his painting passion, we’re pretty hopeful that you’ll agree that the word should be put into the Oxford dictionary as soon as possible – or, at least, that you’ll be left with that same sense of harmony and intrigue as we were …

You’ve been working on the streets for over ten years now – how did you start out, and where did the whole journey begin?

The whole journey began the day I could hold a pen, pencil or brush – I didn’t start painting with a can until I was about 18.

I was introduced to graffiti through my brother, he was sketching at the time and he encouraged me to try experimenting with letterforms. Eventually I started painting with him and got pretty consumed by the world of letters, colours, dulux and the sweet smell of German paints. When I moved to Melbourne to study I was painting independently a lot – until I met Slicer and Adnate. That’s when things really started to evolve, and the AWOL Crew became the foundation for my standard in graffiti. Since then I have made incredible connections with some of the best artists in Australia and abroad.

You just opened up your solo show at Rtist Gallery in Prahran; how long has it taken for you to put together the show – and what have been some of the more trying aspects of doing work on canvas as opposed to on a wall?

The exhibition at RTIST has taken around 4-5 months to produce, most of this time has been focused on producing the artwork and handling logistics. The most trying aspects of this journey have been mastering painting with acrylic as it is a reasonably new medium for me, maintaining a balance through an intense period of conceptual and mental work, and learning to trust my ability to achieve my deadlines. 
 
Just on that – Swoop and Melodie – these are two very characteristic aspects of birds, creatures that feature heavily in your work. What is your affinity for feathered creatures, and how does their “simplistic beauty, purposeful nature, freedom and melodious expression” relate to you personally?

People often think that the inspiration for my work is birds but it is actually not that direct. Birds feature throughout the work as a means to connect with a wider audience, they have the ability to communicate emotions and expressions within my abstract style.

Regarding their nature, birds are always communicating with me. It’s strange, since I started focussing on birds as a subject matter I have noticed them everywhere. In some of my lower points I often notice a bird going about its business and it reminds me of the simplicity of things and brings me back to reality. I think they will continue to inspire me, whether they continue to feature heavily in my work or not.

There is a definite abstract impressionism to much of your work – has this come about from overt influences, or is it a style that has developed organically in your journey? Tell us a bit more about how these forms of interwoven patterns find their place amongst your pieces.

I imagine if all my work was laid out in front of you, there would be an obvious evolution in style and interest in exploration. I think the development of my current style is a melting pot of all the creative disciplines I am involved in. I would consider myself as more of a designer than an artist, because of my process and attention to detail, you can see this in the consistent standard from technique to framing and creating a strong conceptual identity for shows such as ‘Swoop & Melodie’.

Regarding the forms and patterns within the work, these are visual relationships that I think most of us can relate to. Repetitive patterns have a place in almost every part of the world we inhabit, as do geometric forms. My fascination with interrelating geometry has been present since I was a child. I play on this within my work, its very important for me to connect with peoples inner child through bright colour’s and simplicity, my main intention here is to illustrate the importance of our creative power for personal development.

Geometry also has a definite place holder in your work – where did this spring from? Are you a fan of geometrical shapes in general, or is this something else that may have also imbued itself into your work without your knowing?

As a child growing up I was very fortunate to have had a creative family who naturally encouraged my creativity. A lot of my ‘toys’ were simple modular off cuts of timber or building materials from my dad’s work as a builder and glazier. I see these as incredibly strong influences on my current artistic interests. Even the presence of coloured glass from my dad’s workshop gives me inspiration to this day.

There was also a neighbouring kaleidoscope factory, a few doors down from my home, where my mum used to collect beautiful hardwood timber off-cuts –  these were always triangles, circles, squares and other geometric pieces that found their place in my constructions as a kid.

 
You seem to have a penchant for metaphor and interpersonal relationships and describing them, as reflected in the questions above – but is it all personal and metaphoric? If there is one thing, straight down the line, that you wish to relate in your work – what would it be, and why?

If there was one thing I could relate in my work it would be that the only constant is change, if one is to truly embrace this they will rapidly evolve and expand, this should be our goal in encouraging a positive and inspiring environment for the future. These principles apply to all aspects of life and creative expression.

Tell us a bit more about the work you’ve done over the years on walls – this is, obviously, your first passion – what have been some of your favourite places to paint, and what stories can you tell us about your urban painting adventures?

Derelict abandoned spaces would have to be one of the most inspiring environments for painting and I think I can speak for the whole crew in saying this. These spaces offer adventure, freedom and endless opportunities for interacting with the architecture of a space. I really think that the future of graffiti is in its ability to utilize and interact with three dimensional spaces and environments. Most of my urban adventures have been in finding, entering and exiting these spaces.

The rest is confidential, haha.

What is it about Melbourne that you love so much, and how do you view the current state of play in the whole “Melbourne street art scene” – or, indeed, the Australian street art movement? Do you see things changing more and more, or is it just  a case of “business as usual”?

Melbourne’s urban art scene has already changed a great deal since I moved here, definitely not business as usual. I am glad to see an evolution in the graffiti scene, I think it is necessary to keep the ball rolling and growing in size. I would like to see more larges scale works in Melbourne and I want to encourage more international artists to come and fuel the scene.

I think Melbourne is pretty underrated in the global context, and I am excited to see so many of my fellow writers and artists pushing the envelope and putting a permanent dot on the map so that world is aware of the incredible talent that exists within this city.

Can you tell us a bit more about your work with the AWOL crew? You guys consistently produce amazing work together – do you have anything cool planned as a crew over the coming summer?

AWOL are a busy bunch at present, and I can only see things getting busier for everyone. I admire the independence of each member in following their desired creative path. This said, I am looking forward to getting busy on the streets this summer. Travel is a priority for me right now, I need to expand my horizons and I’m in great need of a holiday.

What are your plans for after the exhibition? Do you have anything else in the pipeline, and, if you could, where would you next go to paint?

I’m going to take some time out – its been a demanding period and I need to rebuild my energy for this summers adventures. I am always working on projects as a designer and I have a few interesting things lined up for the remainder of the year. I am keen to re-design my website and start working on some concepts for product designs. If I could go anywhere for a paint right now it would be in South America with the whole crew.

Peace.

Check out more of Deams work on his blog, as well as at the AWOL website. His amazing first solo show, Swoop & Melodie, runs until October 23rd October, 2011, at RTIST Gallery.