Blue Mountains Artists Connection: Member Profile

W. Shawn Gray

"To Hunt Data in Arcadia"

Born Katoomba 1955. HSC 1972. Studied Sculpture at the National Art School, Kogarah 1973 then East Sydney which became the School of Art, Alexander Mackie C.A.E. 1974-1976 Exhibited paintings & sculptures at St. Georges Gallery. 1976 Completed Australia’s first fine-art computer-graphic film “Spiders” graduating and marrying Julie at the end of that year. 1977 N.S.W. “Spiders” awarded Highly Commended, at the “First National Youth Film Festival”. Odd jobs for the next few years, an Assistant Animator, freelance illustration & typography, TV & Film props, Storemen & packing, illustrating Sunday School books. 1978 Exhibited Bronzes at Settlers Gallery, Paddington. 1978 Creative Development Branch of the Australian Film Commission grant to complete second film “Symbolist Daydream”. 1978 Auckland at The New Zealand Computer Conference “Spiders” won 3rd. prize in the film section of the Computer Graphic Art Competition. 1979 both my films included in ** VIDEO TAPES FROM AUSTRALIA IN NORTH AMERICA; New York, Los Angles, Vancouver 1979-1980. ** PROJECT 30 Some recent Australian Videotapes, Art Gallery of NS.W. 1980. ** 1980 BIENNALE OF VENICE ; July, Italy . ** 1980/81/82 Tour of regional galleries beginning at Ewing Gallery, University of Melbourne…and finishing at N.S.W Art Gallery. 1981 only child Sebastian born. 1981 joined the Public Service as Clerk Class One in the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Sydney. 1982 bought a home at Blaxland. When the ABS acquired a TEKTRONIX 4170 graphic box I was transferred to the Computer Services Branch. While I knew a lot about graphics my programming was BASIC, they where the experts in computing but knew very little about graphics. Lot of on-the-job computer training, first getting it, then later giving it. 1984 Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) Conversion, Sydney College of Advanced Education, same year started a few year stint giving visiting lectures at N.S.W.I.T. on ‘Aesthetics for Computer Graphics’. 1987 ‘Training Skills Course’ at the National Trainer Training Service. 1989-1995 Exhibited Bronzes at Artarmon Gallery, Artarmon. 1989 moved to the Roads and Traffic Authority, Planning and Control Section. 1990 Promoted to Expert System Officer in the Planning and Quality Section, ISB RTA. Sept. 1995 sculpture ‘Tower of Babel’ included in “Latest Works” Sculpture Societies Exhibition at the NSW State Parliament House. December 1995 first one-man show “To Hunt Data in Arcadia” exhibition of painting and sculptures at the Urban Exile Gallery, Newtown, as well as on World Wide Web. 1996 Sculpture ‘Tower of Babel’ included in “The Temple of the Third Millennium” show at Urban Exile Gallery. 1999 left the RTA, establishing family company AuzGnosis to engage in the business of;- “Consultation, conceptionalization, and realization of programs, structures, images & systems.” SigGraph2001 “Dusk among the Rusty Megaliths” winning submission in the Universal Media World Altering Contest. 2001 “The ANZAC’s Unease” included in “Intersculpt 2001: Sculpture for a Virtual World” The College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning at The University of Cincinnati. 2003 released definitive (Version 2 of the) “Absolute Kinegraphic Notation System” (AKNS) a three dimensional notation (systems) I started working on 1983.

"Merlin's Last Ride"

Still from "Symbolist Daydream"

"Dusk among the Rusty Megaliths"

Storyboard for "Tri-Lingual-SciFi"