NOW, THE HOBBYIST

I AM DRAWN TO WORKS THAT APPEAL TO EMOTION THROUGH FORM AND COLOUR AND THOSE WHICH PROVOKE THOUGHT THROUGH LANGUAGE.

THE PRACTISE IS DIVERSE, SHARING A DESIGNERS NEED FOR ORIGINATION RATHER THAN REPETITION.

YET I DO NOT CONSIDER THESE WORKS TO BE IN THE REALM OF ‘DESIGN’, SUCH BEING A PROCESS TO ARRIVE AT AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO AN EXTERNAL NEED, OFTEN WITH CRITERIA ATTACHED.

RELEASING WORKS FROM SUCH A CLIENT-DRIVEN PROCESS IS ACHIEVED BY REMOVING NEED AND CRITERIA AND REPURPOSING THE INTENT. WORKS REMAIN ‘GRAPHIC’ IN NATURE, YET I PROPOSE THEY ARE ACCEPTED AS ART, SINCE THEY ARE NOT CREATED UNDER DESIGN CONDITIONS.

ALTHOUGH DRAWING UPON SKILLS OF A COMMUNICATION DESIGN, THE PURPOSE OF THESE WORKS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SELF-EXPRESSION — PERHAPS ULTIMATELY — FOR SELF-AMUSEMENT.

— PAUL HETHERINGTON

Plauze – the graphic art practise of Paul Hetherington – a British communication designer and art director. Hetherington began creating an eclectic series of autonomous solo work in 2011.

The practise as a whole is not bound by conventional artistic categories, instead driven by curiosity and a desire to manifest diverse creative impulses. In a continuous learning and adaptation process, works are characterised by versatility and rejection of a singular stylistic confinement. The prioritisation of exploration and innovation provides open-ended approach to creation, in which the medium serves the concept rather than dictating it.