Brian Borshoff Artist – Up Close & Personal

JahRoc are excited to be introducing new artist, Brian Borshoff to the gallery with his playful animal sculptures. After years as an art enthusiast and hobbyist experimenting in different mediums, Brian is now focusing on his love of sculpture, firstly working with clay to create his forms, followed by resin casting. The animals presented in Brian Borshoff’s sculptures are full of expression and character, making them easy to connect with and bringing a smile to your face.

When did you first feel the desire to be artistic and realize you had talent?

I have always been interested in drawing, ever since I was very young. I chose architecture as my career and those drawing skills were developed. Later in life and with a little more time I have explored painting (water colour and acrylic) and most recently I have taken this to the third dimension–I am really enjoying my sculpture! (clay, resin)

Where did you learn your art?

I believe I have been lucky enough to be born with the gift of creativity and a brain that never stops (exhausting sometimes). Most recently I have been privileged to work with Robert Hitchcock –an accomplished Australian (Perth based) sculptor as i continue to learn and develop my craft.

What inspires you most?

I’m inspired by everything! I am always looking around me, taking in the light, the landscape, movement. Inspiration is everywhere if you look.

What message are you sending to the viewer of your art?

I really appreciate and feel passionate about design. I tell anyone that listens that when you buy something that is designed or created you want to wake up every morning and get pleasure from just seeing it. Over and over again. I would hope the viewer of my art simply gets immense pleasure from looking at it, taking it in and appreciating it

Describe your studio

I have recently bought a property on several acres halfway between Margaret River and Prevelly. My partner and I spent a year designing and extending the existing cottage and we are now in the process of building my new studio. The studio will be a very minimalist building with a wall of glass looking out over the pasture and the billabong that we created. In the early morning and the late afternoon we have several families of kangaroos that wander in to graze and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Describe your typical day of creating art

I don’t really have a typical day of creating art. As a creative, I work when the mood is right. I find it almost impossible to make art happen when or if I am not in the right space. When I am, I like to work with music and lose myself in the process. Time falls away and it is a completely therapeutic or zen-like experience. I often create something and then look at it almost incredulously. It is as though I have been channelling someone and the piece created is outside of me.

What mediums do you use and why?

Initially I commenced drawing with artline marker and white paper. This progressed to acrylic and then on to watercolour. I really liked the freedom of water colour and the flexibility or forgiveness it offered me as an artist. It is fluid and not as rigid as acrylic or oil. Completely out of left field I started sculpting clay about 2 years ago and the freedom and silkiness of working with the clay was just fantastic. I still find it incredible to have an idea in your head and watch as your hands almost birth this 3-dimensional creature or object right in front of your eyes. I feel that sculpture will be the art form that I want to go on exploring with. It brings me an amazing amount of pleasure and I find myself impatient to get back to the studio and work on the current project or piece.

What are you working on now?

I recently finished the lizard (or goanna). These are resident on our property and their shyness and fluidity of movement captivated me. They are like mini dinosaurs and wonderful to sculpt. I am about to commence work on another native animal –a bilby. The challenge as the artist is to not simply reproduce the creature but capture something of the essential characteristic or personality. When this is done successfully, as I believe I have done with the lizard, the viewer can connect with the creature. It is more than simply viewing.

What are your recent career achievements you feel proud of?

I am relatively new in my career as an artist. As an architect I have worked all over the world and have been privileged to work on some significant projects in some very exciting locations. I am proud to create artwork with my hands that others become excited about, engage with and are simply uplifted by viewing. Artwork and sculpture is a completely different scale for me and it allows my imagination to directly translate to the product, there is no client or middle man! And I don’t need a team to produce it!

What do you love most about what you do?

Without a doubt I absolutely love the freedom of creativity and the opportunity it brings to create something from my imagination (or head) that brings me pleasure and also pleasure to those around me. My own litmus test of a piece is that I never tire of looking at it and it never stops bringing me that pleasure when viewed.

Where can you see yourself in 10 years time?

10 years time I see myself in Margaret River in my studio with a portfolio of artwork that has been exhibited and purchased. I would hope that my artwork is sought after for the pleasure it brings the people that engage with it. If I let my ego off the leash for a moment, it would be the icing on the cake to have one or two public art work installations out there somewhere!

Artist Statement

Highly energetic and creative from a young age, Brian Borshoff’s career in Architecture has honed his technical drawing skills and his visual design eye, whilst further experimentation in watercolour and acrylic painting has led to his current joy of sculpture. Currently inspired by Australian creatures, Brian works with clay to create the initial artwork, skilfully capturing the creature’s personality and individual character. His finished designs are then made using resin with an iron powder finish, creating the look of a bronze, only lighter weight while still allowing him to portray great character detail.

Brian Borshoff has a degree in Architecture from the University of Western Australia. To maintain direct creative input on the major architectural projects that he has been involved with over his career has seen Brian travel extensively and live in Muscat (the Sultanate of Oman), London, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, and most recently Singapore. This portfolio of international projects has led to an experience base that is anything but normal!

He …

• Drove across the Sinai Desert for a project.
• Was in partnership in a film production company with Frank Capra Junior.
• Designed and developed an interactive laser game VECTOR.
• Was Senior Vice President Business Development South East Asia for a Los Angeles company that grew out of Disney IWERKS ENTERTAINMENT.
• Supervised the construction of a palace for the advisor to the Sultan of Oman.
• Presented at a design symposium in Shanghai China for a Singapore based design company PICO.
• Met with ex 60 minutes journalists in Mexico and Boston and a retired United States Air force Colonel in Nevada to research an exhibition project PHENOMENA.
• Presented a project concept to Mark McCormack of International Management Group (IMG) in the Oak Room in their New York office.
• Sat in the driver’s seat of the Russian space shuttle while designing and delivering the BURAN exhibition project.
• Was a specialist consultant to the Sultan of Brunei for his Jerudong Park project.
• Was sponsored in Malaysia by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir’s son – Merzon Mahathir.
• Negotiated the sale and supply of specialist large format film projection equipment to the Defence Department of the Singapore Government.
• Walked from Egypt into Israel overnight. For a project in the Middle east.
• Travelled from the top of the Philippines to the Southern tip over 2 weeks for a project.
• Lived in the Nile Hilton in Cairo while designing and building a night-club in the basement of the hotel.
• Has eaten ant soup, birds’ heads, sea urchin, live lobster and deep fried scorpion in order to not offend clients.
• Bathed in onsen deep in the forests of Japan. For a project.
• Sailed in pea soup fog overnight from England to France with failed navigation equipment.
• Worked as the in-house designer to Malaysian billionaire Datu K.T. Lim of the Resorts World/Genting group.
• Lived through a zero visibility landing in blinding rain and fog…in the dark… while trying to land on a private jet in Italy. For a project.
• Lunched with Anwar Ibrahim and Datu K.T. Lim before Anwar Ibrahim was jailed in Kuala Lumpur by Dr Mahathir as he had aspirations of being a future Prime Minister.
• Trekked from Lukla to Everest Base Camp and other high passes in Nepal and survived.
• Celebrated in Kathmandu and contracted food poisoning and nearly didn’t survive!