Lila

Inspired by the ever evolving, intrinsic relationship between nature and technology, Android produces lavish works in many formats, incorporating complex and varied themes of science, nature, electronic music and planet Earth.

Andy began his career with his involvement in Melbourne’s early rave scene back in 1993 creating UV murals for parties. His love of electronic music and all things digital lead him into the realm of computers in 1997 after finishing a graphic design course at Monash University Melbourne. His greatest influence coming from nature documentaries and science fiction films. He integrates photography and computer generated imagery along with the paintbrush to create alien worlds and atmospheric montages based on the visual representation of Trance and other Electronic music genres.

Daniel Mirante: What drew you out to Malaysia and is most of what we see on your nature studies influenced by this exploration ?

Andy Thomas:
I was drawn to Malaysia because of my love for diverse and complex ecosystems. Borneo has an amazingly rich level of plant and insect species, seemingly blended together – insects that take on forms of plants and plants that take on forms of insects. I think its this relationship that really intrigues me.

Most of my nature studies so far have been based around the Tasmanian old growth rainforest. I have family from Tasmania and have grown up with many visits to the forest there. I love the moss and lichen that grows over everything, its like a forest within a forest. Worlds within worlds, that’s what my work reflects.

How long do pieces tend to take to bring through ?

Andy Thomas:
First part of producing my organic pieces requires an expedition to forests taking photos of plants and insects (also close ups of textures) which usually takes a week. Then creating 3d structures and wrapping the textures around can take a few months. Then mixing them together with real photos in photoshop along with post production work takes another couple of months.

The time and care pays off ! Freak of Nature is especially mindblowing, a beautiful reminder of natures miracles. The quality and depth as rich as an old masters painting. What other digital artists do you consider significant and influential in the current times ?

Andy Thomas:
There are so many amazing digital artists out there in all different fields. Some of the imaginative strength in the movies Hellboy 2 and King Kong, I absolutely love.

As far as individual artists in the digital realm, I quite like the work of Raymond Swanland and Yusei Uesugi and many others.

I really love the work of Ernst Heinkel who explored the natural world in Exquisite detail using pen and paper back in the early early days.

Has this appreciation of the fractaline depth of nature been informed by shamanistic/vision questing ? It looks like your eyes are truly open to the wonders around us all…

Andy Thomas:
I’ve indulged in the “teachings of plants” a few times, however I have never tried Ayahuasca, I’ve been told that my artwork reflects these kinds of visions though. I’ll have to see what all the hypes about one of these days. Might just disappear into an Amazonian rainforest for 3 months and stumble out of the bushes with a bone through my nose…

I find nature itself to be the true source of inspiration. My imagination is so full and vivid as it is, so staying focused is of up most importance. I am getting better at this as I get older. And I think my later works reflect this. The occasional joint, I find helps to crystallize my ideas, but when it comes to the actual creation of artwork nothing is better than a good strong coffee 1st thing in the morning.

Meditating to Electronic music is my other source of inspiration.

What do you believe the future holds for nature and humanity ?

Andy Thomas:
I think the next 50 years of life on Earth is the biggest test ourselves and nature has ever faced.

Not only do we need to adapt to nature’s way – nature also needs to adapt to our way. The true power of nature is its ability to evolve, this time however it needs to evolve at a particularly rapid pace and we need to give it a helping hand. It is indeed a beautiful idea of the whole of western society being completely at one with nature, but we have already created a framework with economics and politics that has made us more distant from nature.

If we were to re-learn from ancient cultures and somehow adapt their way of life into our crazy framework that would be brilliant.

I think eventually we will be at one with nature once again like our ancestors were, but we have a challenging journey ahead of us to finally get there.

Thankyou Andy for participating in this interview!

Pick up a giclee print of Andy Thomas artwork at www.android.net.au