SPARK Ipswich is approaching, bringing with it more than 50 vibrant events which are set to take over the Queensland city across ten days.
One of the events, deLIGHT, will ignite Nicholas Street with a dazzling fusion of art and light, starring a group of talented artists joining forces with projection wizard James Muller to animate their creations.
Each night will feature a different artist – Chloe Adams, Andrew Kimberley, Rushanthi Herath, Kym Tabulo, Brandon Huges, Sean Williams, Jordache Gage, David Pearce, and YEAHYEAHCHLOE.
Read our interview with fellow deLIGHT artist, YEAHYEAHCHLOE.
Andrew Kimberley, one half of creative studio Ancient Monkey, has more than 20 years of experience in the animation industry. He's worked in film, advertising, games, and VR. . . Even lending his skills at Disney.
Before deLIGHT, we sat down with Andrew Kimberley to discuss his contribution to the event, and his relationship to art.
You’ve worked with Disney and on big-name projects – what’s it like to collaborate with names like that?!
I feel really lucky to have been able to work with some big brands over the years. It's been a lot of fun, but can feel like a big responsibility, so comes with a bit of pressure. The most rewarding thing about it for me has been to open up some legendary characters and see how they were made, what decisions and techniques have been used to bring some of these iconic characters to life. Working with talented artists you look up to and feeling like part of a team creating something great is always an amazing feeling.
How does it feel having your art light up the streets of Ipswich as part of deLIGHT?
I'm curious about this myself! I'm excited to see how it looks, it's been an absolute honour to be chosen to have my work displayed at deLIGHT, I can't wait to see the other artists' work. It's such a great idea to project some art by local artists and I'm excited to be a part of it!
Art by Andrew Kimberley
Your studio, Ancient Monkey, has a handmade, craft-inspired vibe – how does that translate into large-scale digital projections?
The handmade look has largely been inspired by collaborating with Rachel, my sister. She's a very experienced photographer and at a certain point we both realised that somehow we were pursuing a similar aesthetic. Handmade work has such a beautiful built-in authenticity and charm to it. It is hard to create that feel using digital tools, but our approach is to create simple, clean assets based on a strong design, and then spend our time suggesting details etc where needed to create the illusion that more is going on.
What inspired the work you’ll be showing at SPARK Ipswich? Can you tell us a bit about the concept or story behind it?
Interestingly it was at least in part inspired by my move back to Karalee, after 20 years living in Sydney I moved back to Brisbane in 2020, and ended up in Karalee for the last couple of years. It has reminded me of childhood growing up nearby in Mt Crosby. Being surrounded by the bush and a menagerie of creatures has been inspiring. I'd say in some ways this piece is my homage to the scrublands, bushes and creeks I grew up with, interpreted into a stylised digital world.
You’ve been in the animation game for over 20 years – what keeps the passion alive for you?
There are a few things that keep us motivated, we have lots of stories we would like to tell, and there is a constant flow of new technology and techniques that are fascinating and exciting to follow and play with/implement. Also, it seems as we move forward more and more is achievable as a small creative team than ever before, it's exciting!
Art by Andrew Kimberley
SPARK is all about creativity, connection and community – what does being part of that energy mean to you personally and professionally?
As a freelancer/small studio we work remotely, which can be quite isolating, it's wonderful to be able to showcase our work in the community and I can't wait to see the work by other artists, to see the amazing creativity that could be happening right next door!
What do you hope people feel or take away when they see your work as part of SPARK After Dark/deLIGHT?
A lot of our direction has been informed by nature etc, but we're also drawn to the idea of slowing down a bit and taking a moment. I'm hoping that when people see our work they are filled with a sense of whimsy and calm, I would love for our work to bring people a moment of peace and reflection.
deLIGHT takes place on 11-20 July on Nicholas Street as part of SPARK Ipswich.
