Natural elements serve as the guiding force behind my investigation, as I delve deeply into the hidden, complex web of connections that exist within the environment. Rather than concentrating solely on clear, tangible facts, I allow unseen and subtle forces to take shape gradually, unveiling their true form and essence, which in turn helps us gain a fuller understanding of reality. Often, we glance at objects around us but fail to perceive the deeper meanings and intricate relationships that bind these things together. True awareness means genuinely noticing and appreciating what exists in our surroundings. I express my ideas through the use of mythical symbols, whether painted on large canvases or illustrated in children’s books. I hold the belief that the unknown holds far greater significance than the known because it stirs our dreams and intuition, encouraging us to explore beyond the superficial surface.
Patrick Shirvington explores his intimate connection with nature through the act of drawing, viewing it as a fundamental means to think creatively and uncover what remains invisible to the naked eye. "I don’t seek practical realities," he explains, "but rather allow the unseen to manifest itself spatially, revealing its own authenticity as a clearly defined and poignant form. Only then can it be truly perceived in the light of reality." While we tend to look at objects, do we truly see the subject behind them? Are we fully conscious of all that surrounds us as individual entities coming together to form a unified whole? Awareness of our environment involves a conscious cognition; in other words, it requires actively seeing and taking notice of the things present around us. I tell my story through mythical symbols—whether applied with a brushstroke on a large canvas or crafted as more intimate illustrations in children’s books—and I believe the unknown is far more important than
Through our dreams we delve deeper than the mere surface. To gain a deeper understanding of the world is to perceive it more clearly and to hold a greater respect for its complexity and diversity.
Patrick Shirvington is an accomplished children’s book illustratoR. He has a Master of Cross Disciplinary Art and Design UNSW MCDArtDes. His picture book, Can You find Me ?, written by Dr Gordon Winch, was shortlisted for the Wilderness Society Environment Award for Picture Books (Australia), a CBCA Notable book, with Patrick being nominated for the Crichton award for illustration. Patrick’s books have now been published worldwide, including translation into Chinese. With his fifth book Three Dancing Frogs being released November 2020.
Shirvington’s animals, real and imaginary, are rendered with much attention to detail and personality. They are not props. They are there to say something larger and to be characters in his new drawing tale. Plucked from the past and perhaps existing in his dreams, they are thrust into the present with selfless devotion.
Joseph Eisenberg OAM Emeritus Cultural Director Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Shirvington is poetic and whimsical, Shirvington’s facility for witty and charming drawings brings many such vignettes to life.
Dr Christopher Allen National art critic for The Australian
Responding to seasonal changes in the landscape. Patrick Shirvington’s studies of the local environs, with intensified frenzy, pushes the markings, scribbles and scratches of the tree to the surface ground that emulates the feel and smell of the bush.
Rhonda Davis – ‘Arboreal’, Macquarie University Art Gallery.
Patrick Shirvington’s interest is predominantly with nature and the environment. Being loyal to the landscape, he is always moving into new territories.
Kath von Witt – Hawkesbury Regional Gallery.