Ian Williams: Painting Virtuality.

Australian artist Ian Williams gathers virtual forms much like others collect physical objects. His artworks evolve from the digital realm to the tangible surface of the canvas, which acts as a convergence point for discovery, learning, and the evolution of his creations. This approach finds its roots in his childhood memories of playing early arcade games while waiting for his father to finish his squash game. The virtual world serves as Williams' initial inspiration, but his work is guided by pure intuition, creating a fascinating bridge between the intangibility of the virtual world and the reality of the canvas.

Drawing from an infinite array of forms in virtual reality, the artist gathers, organizes, and discards these shapes as casually as one might choose blue Smarties over red ones. The works then develop in real time through his painting, experimenting with color, sharp straight lines, voluptuous curves, backdrops, and texture. The painting is a journey, and Williams truly doesn’t know how the work will end up. This willingness to let go is distinctive, as I often observe artists struggling with the balance between control and surrender in their practice.

A background in various trades is evident with the recurring appearance of a beam-like figure resembling a steel construction beam, intermittently returning in works "like an old friend."

An intriguing artist who bridges the gap between the virtual world and the painting canvas.

More on the interview below.