"Things Aren’t As They Seem" challenges our perception of reality and questions who truly holds control. It reveals two worlds: a modern cityscape and an industrial-age setting hidden behind a giant curtain. Behind this curtain, gears and machinery symbolize the systems powering society, suggesting that we’re all part of a vast industrial machine.

A man riding a penny-farthing bicycle—a symbol of wealth and status—is elevated high above everything, embodying power and influence. Yet, the bicycle’s notorious instability and danger make it a metaphor for the fragility of power. Even the slightest bump could send the rider crashing down, much like those who “pull the strings” are often more vulnerable than they appear.

By drawing back the curtain, the rider exposes the machinery that drives modern life, challenging our assumptions about who holds real control and what’s truly real. It invites us to look beyond the surface and explore the deeper truths of influence and power.

Cliff Powell

Things Aren't As They Seem

"Voyage of the Infinite" is an acrylic painting featuring a wooden ship with unfurled sails navigating an ethereal sea of clouds. The warm glow from its cabin suggests guidance on a mysterious journey, symbolizing exploration of uncharted realms. A massive, cratered planet looms, casting an otherworldly glow, while a striped lighthouse stands on a floating island, offering both guidance and invitation. The sky transitions from pink to purple to blue, studded with stars that enhance the dreamlike scene. This surreal artwork is a poetic allegory for life's quest for knowledge, creativity, and self-discovery.

Voyage of the Infinite

"The Paradox of Embrace" presents a thought-provoking narrative, depicting a magenta-tentacled octopus wrapped around the Earth. Set against a cosmic backdrop, the octopus symbolizes duality—either a guardian cradling the planet or a force threatening to suffocate it. The octopus's neutral gaze invites interpretation, embodying wisdom, mystery, and potential danger.

Colors play a vital role: blue clouds suggest peace, while red clouds hint at aggression. The magenta tentacles symbolize growth and creativity, contrasting with the orange head, which signals danger. The Earth's light and dark sides further emphasize the duality—hope versus shadow, transformation versus destruction.

This artwork challenges viewers to explore the fine line between protection and oppression, growth and decay, and light and darkness, making "The Paradox of Embrace" a journey into cosmic ambiguity and deep contemplation.

The Paradox of Embrace

"Liminal Dreamscape" is a captivating 16"x 20" acrylic on canvas piece that blends reality and surrealism. This artwork features a striking depiction of a koala with contrasting elements: the upper half showcases lifelike detail with soft, gray fur and expressive eyes, while the lower half transitions into an intricate skeletal form. This juxtaposition invites contemplation of existence, transformation, and duality.

The koala clings to a tree branch against a vibrant background that shifts from warm orange to deep purple, suggesting sunset or sunrise. Tree silhouettes add depth and context, enriching the dreamlike atmosphere.

Part of the "Anatomies of Enigma" series, this piece continues exploring surreal natural settings with realistic animal heads and skeletal bodies, creating a thought-provoking visual experience that challenges the boundary between the familiar and the fantastical.

Liminal Dreamscape

"Blossoming Enchantment" is a vibrant painting featuring a large tree with a thick, twisted trunk splitting into two sections. Its outward-extending branches form a symmetrical canopy laden with vivid pink, purple, and yellow blossoms, creating a dense, colorful crown that enhances its fantastical nature.

Set against gently rolling hills in warm oranges and cool purples; the scene gains depth and surreal beauty. Green grass in the foreground grounds the fantastical elements in reality. The tree exudes life and movement with swirling boughs and vibrant colors, inviting viewers into a magical, enchanting landscape.

Inspired by the metaphorical journey of life and love, the painting symbolizes the paths we traverse, rooted in fertile ground. The twisted trunk and diverging branches signify our complex yet ever-changing journey. Notably, the heart shape created by the negative space between the two main branches of the trunk symbolizes love's enduring presence and radiant glow.

Blossoming Enchantment

"Prismatic Flow" is an enthralling abstract painting that measures 16"x12" and is created using acrylic on canvas. The piece showcases a mesmerizing interplay of vibrant colors and dynamic lines, evoking a sense of energetic movement. The background is composed of a captivating mosaic of overlapping color fields, featuring a spectrum of hues including pink, blue, green, and purple. Bold, neon-colored curved lines—ranging from green and orange to yellow and blue—dance fluidly across the canvas, imparting a lively rhythm to the composition. Delicate, translucent swirls and loops weave through these elements, adding layers of depth and complexity. The overall effect is a harmonious blend of shapes and colors that invites viewers to lose themselves in its lively and spirited aesthetic.

Prismatic Flow

"Ephemeral Assimilation" captivates the viewer with its vibrant imagery and profound symbolism. This piece features a chameleon deftly perched on a branch, surrounded by tropical foliage and an array of bright, colorful flowers. What sets this artwork apart is the striking contrast between the chameleon's detailed head and its skeletal body, creating a blend of life and anatomy.

The background of rich purples and pinks, interspersed with scattered specks, adds depth and dreaminess. This dynamic backdrop further enhances the botanical elements and imaginative juxtaposition of the chameleon's natural form with its underlying skeleton.

"Ephemeral Assimilation" serves as a metaphor for the existential struggle of fitting in. It reflects on the notion of trying so hard to assimilate into an environment that one's true essence becomes transparent or overlooked. This blend of elements invites viewers to ponder the delicate balance between visibility and transparency in one's existence.

Ephemeral Assimilation

Experience the vibrant and textural abstraction of "Vesica Piscis." Inspired by the mathematical shape formed by two disks with the same radius intersecting. The piece features two interlinked circular forms with edges outlined in a myriad of hues. The rich background palette of purples, blues, oranges, and browns swirl with chaotic energy, drawing the viewer deeper into a labyrinth of color and texture. 

Splatters and splashes of paint crisscross the composition, creating a sense of dynamism and movement. Crumpled and cracked textures emerge towards the right side, adding a tactile quality to the piece. Each brushstroke and layer of paint was applied with intention, resulting in a work that exudes emotion and vitality. "Vesica Piscis" is a testament to the artist's ability to transform a blank canvas into a living, breathing piece of art that transcends the boundaries of traditional representation. Explore this artwork and let yourself be swept away by its mysterious allure.

Vesica Piscis

Step into an abstract world of vibrant color and dynamic energy with this painting. Bold geometry intersects and overlaps, creating a rich tapestry of form and movement. The rainbow of hues dances across the canvas, drawing the viewer in with its playful exuberance. 
Layers of translucent shapes float above a chaotic yet harmonious background, adding depth and dimension to the composition. Black, bold, erratic lines and splatters move across the canvas without restraint, adding dynamism and spontaneity.

Amidst the geometric forms, circles and amorphous marks break up the rigidity of the composition, offering a visual contrast and a sense of balance. The overall effect is one of joy and creativity, inviting viewers to explore this captivating piece's intricate details and dynamic layers.

"Deconstruction Geometrique's" essence lies in the deconstructed cube and the juxtaposition of structured geometry with chaotic, organic marks, creating a unique and visually captivating composition.

Deconstruction Geometrique

"Spheres and Quadrilaterals" is a captivating painting featuring an abstract composition that showcase interconnected, rectilinear forms, creating a grid-like structure across the canvas. Varying in length and orientation, these forms provide a sense of depth and complexity within the piece. The color palette includes vibrant shades of orange, yellow, green, and purple, with gradients adding a dynamic backdrop. Interspersed throughout the composition are spherical shapes in purple and yellow hues, creating an interesting contrast with the geometric lines. Splatters and drips of paint add texture and movement to the piece, showcasing a controlled spontaneity in the artist's technique. The interplay of straight lines and rounded forms, along with the energetic splashes of paint, invites viewers to immerse themselves in a lively visual experience. This artwork was inspired by a pattern on an elevator control panel, showcasing the artist's unique approach to geometric abstraction.

Spheres and Quadrilaterals

"Musica Universalis" is a surreal piece where celestial bodies and gramophones blend harmoniously, creating a symphony of the universe. Centered in the painting is a gramophone holding the Earth instead of a record. Mini versions showcase Mars and Jupiter, creating a whimsical sense of scale and distance.

The floating islands with hanging grass and roots emphasize the scene's dreamlike and ethereal nature. The background transitions from a starry sky to a beautiful gradient of purple and orange hues, contrasting the technological and natural elements.

Inspired by the ancient philosophical concept of "Musica universalis," suggesting that celestial bodies move in harmony, creating inaudible music heard by the soul. This is represented by gramophones in space using planets as records. The art invites viewers to contemplate the universe's interconnectedness and explore the idea of celestial bodies emitting their unique hum, with the planets acting as records in a grand cosmic symphony.

Musica Universalis

A street-style pop art portrait commission created for my brother-in-law, Damian. His Leukemia relapsed and has been stuck in the hospital. Some of his time was spent watching my painting Instagram reels. His wife (my sister-in-law) asked if I could create a painting for him. He wanted it in the pop art style I had created a few past paintings. 

These brightly colored paintings had elements of graffiti and street art. Not wanting to paint Bugs Bunny or another cartoon, I decided to do his portrait in a pop-art style. 

All my paintings have some symbology or meaning. The shirt is his favorite football team. The reflection of London in his sunglasses is where he grew up and used to live. His wife and two daughters are represented by the winged hearts. In the bottom right corner is a paw print and of course his nickname "Damo" in graffiti.

Damo

To create this graffiti - like painting, I used a pallet knife, catalyst wedge, brushes, fluid paints, posca markers, and I can't remember what else. It was born out of frustration when what I was previously doing wasn't turning out the way I envisioned. So I just started painting, splattering, and doing whatever else to come up with this cacophony of colors. When squirting the white paint, the marks in the center resembled a butterfly hence the name. I then added in the stenciled butterflies to tie it altogether.

Grimy Butterfly

"Fizzzy Bubbly" is a vibrant and energetic abstract painting created with acrylic on canvas. The composition features a dynamic interplay of organic shapes and circular bubbles in a rich color palette of pink, purple, blue, green, and white, accented with contrasting splashes and speckles. A small black silhouetted figure adds a whimsical touch, appearing to float or dance on the left side of the canvas. The background blends the various colors together, adding depth and texture to the overall piece. The finished artwork conveys a sense of fluidity and spontaneity with a candy-like aesthetic that is both playful and captivating.

Fizzzy Bubbly

Helical Ascent is a vibrant and dynamic abstract painting that captures the essence of movement and energy with its vivid colors and intricate composition. The artwork's focal point is a blue-toned spiral at the center, surrounded by concentric circles in shades of pink, red, blue, and grey. The layers of paint and mixed media elements create a rich, tactile texture that adds depth to the piece. Speckles, splatters, and droplets of paint in various colors enhance the sense of movement and spontaneity, while abstract arrows and direction indicators create a visual dialogue between the center and the edges of the canvas. With a nod to color relationships, abstract symbolism, and dynamic composition, this artwork exudes energy and expression, inviting viewers to contemplate the journey of ascension and growth symbolized by the helical spiral.

Helical Ascent

"Forever Bound" is a striking 24" x 24" acrylic painting on canvas that captivates the viewer with its vibrant and chaotic abstract background. This piece features a mesmerizing abstract background filled with an explosion of splatters and drips, creating a sense of energy and movement. At the composition's heart lies two intertwined hearts, painted in bold red and pink strokes, symbolizing love's unbreakable bond. The rich and diverse color palette adds depth and texture to the artwork, drawing viewers in and inviting them to explore every intricate detail. Surrounded by a shimmering frame that shifts in hue from deep purple to a soft, ethereal light, Forever Bound is a testament to the infinite power of love and the boundless beauty of artistic creation.

Forever Bound

Step into a world of enchantment and magic with this mesmerizing artwork, where vibrant colors swirl and dance across the canvas in a symphony of emotion and energy. A mysterious figure, silhouetted against a backdrop of warm and cool hues, crouches delicately as she blows on a dandelion, each seed transformed into a whimsical array of hearts. The hearts flutter and float away, symbolizing love and connection transcending time and space. Her windswept hair adds a sense of movement and freedom to the scene, while the lush green grass below hints at a serene outdoor setting. This piece exudes a sense of wonder and romance, inviting you to lose yourself in its ethereal beauty and dreamlike atmosphere.

Dandelion Wishes

"Think!" is a vibrant and dynamic artwork that reimagines the classic sculpture "The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin in a bold and contemporary style. The stylized figure, depicted in vivid acrylic on canvas, exudes a sense of deep contemplation with its striking pose and muscular details emphasized by bold contrasts and outlines. The background of the painting features a spectrum of warm colors, from reds to yellows, with psychedelic and cosmic elements such as circular motifs and paint splatters. The use of bright colors and intricate patterns gives the traditional sculpture a modern and energetic twist, blending classic art elements with street art aesthetics. The overall composition is visually captivating, creating a unique and eye-catching artwork that will spark curiosity and intrigue in viewers.

THINK!

The artwork titled "Bugs" is a vibrant and lively fusion of classic cartoon charm and edgy street art aesthetics. Rendered on canvas in acrylic paint and posca markers, the artwork features Bugs Bunny at center stage, holding a large paintbrush dripping with bright yellow paint. He is depicted in a traditional cartoon style, with exaggerated facial features and a hearty grin. 

Behind Bugs Bunny, a colorful backdrop with an urban graffiti influence showcases bold, stylized letters spelling out "BUGS" in orange and yellow tones. The background is filled with splashes of blues, pinks, purples, and yellows, creating an abstract expressionist effect. Dripping paint in blue and yellow hues adds to the graffiti theme.

To the left of Bugs Bunny are red, blue, and yellow paint cans with paint dripping, further enhancing the sense of painting in action. The ground where Bugs Bunny stands is represented in simple grey and white tones, with additional splashes of colorful paint tying the charact

Bugs

"Because I'm Happy" is a vibrant and colorful acrylic piece depicting a child in a dynamic pose with their mouth wide open, laughing, and both hands extended forward. The stylized image is filled with high-contrast outlines and various patterns and shapes in the background, including dots, stars, and halftone patterns reminiscent of comic book art. The transition of colors across the spectrum, including purples, blues, greens, yellows, pinks, and oranges, creates an energetic and lively visual effect. Framed within a dark border, the composition is bold and striking, showcasing the artist's unique blend of pop art, expressive abstract, and portrait styles. This artwork celebrates life, love, and the unbridled spirit of youth, capturing the child's positive energy and emotion at play.

Because Im Happy

This vibrant artwork titled "Psychophily" features a detailed butterfly at its center, with its wings spread wide to display a gradient of vibrant colors. The wings showcase a rich blend of blues, purples, yellows, and dark tips, suggesting intricate scales and veins for a realistic touch. The butterfly is set against an abstract background filled with energetic splashes of warm orange and red hues, fading into a dark backdrop splattered with various paint specks and drips in blue, green, red, yellow, and white. The dynamic juxtaposition of the realistic butterfly and abstract background creates a sense of movement and vibrancy, giving the artwork a striking and captivating presence.

Psychophily

Experience the mesmerizing beauty of "Takarangi," a captivating acrylic on canvas piece that captures the essence of humanity's celestial origin. Inspired by Maori culture, the intersecting double spiral pattern symbolizes the Universe's beginning and the connection between Earth and the Heavenly realm. The dynamic colors and movement within the artwork bring a modern abstract twist to this ancient symbol, creating a truly unique and inspiring piece of art. Explore the deeper meanings behind "Takarangi" and let its energy and beauty transport you to a place of spiritual reflection and wonder.

Takarangi

The artwork is an abstract painting with a vibrant composition of overlapping and adjacent rectangular shapes. It is characterized by a rich array of colors, including blues, reds, yellows, purples, and greens, blending into one another to create a lively and dynamic effect. The varied hues are segmented by bold black lines that outline the geometric forms, giving the composition a sense of structure despite its abstract nature. Furthermore, the painting is embellished with scattered splatters of white and various colored dots, adding spontaneity and texture to the piece. Overall, the painting conveys a sense of rhythmic movement and chromatic intensity.

Rectilinear Hues

This vibrant and whimsical artwork titled "Marv" is a fusion of cartoon pop art and street-style aesthetic. The 24"x24" acrylic on canvas piece features the Looney Tunes character, Marvin the Martian, spray painting and drawing a large, colorful graffiti-style lettering of his name, "MARV." The bold and dynamic lettering uses shades of purple, pink, and blue with 3D effects. Marv is holding a robotic device that draws and spray-paints graffiti. With a trailing flame, his rocket, the Martian Maggot, flies through the starry space background, adding motion and an outer-space theme. The background depicts a weathered wall with peeling paint revealing brickwork, creating the impression of urban street art. The overall impression is one of creativity, fun, and a playful blend of pop culture influences in this unique and eye-catching artwork.