OF
BRIAN T. O'ROURKE
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| Radiant Trees by Brian T. O'Rourke |
I started drawing and painting at a very young age and I eventually entered college to study architecture. But soon after entering the architecture program, I realized that the engineering aspects of architecture were far more oriented toward left-brained individuals and I became frustrated with the mathematics. I eventually switched my major to marketing so that I could still pursue a creative career that would pay the bills. I decided to keep my passion for art as a hobby. Upon graduating from college, I began creating paintings for my first apartment. I really disliked the mass-produced prints and images that were found in most home stores and I was on a limited budget, so I created my own artwork. Friends and family saw my pieces and almost instantly they began offering to pay me to create art for their homes. Because I originally made my own artwork to blend with my interior design, that soon became my niche – creating custom artwork that blends with people’s interiors. Now I work for both private collectors and interior designers.
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| Photography by Brian T. O'Rourke |
The overall aesthetic for my paintings is abstract and I tend to incorporate very complex, layered backgrounds with highly fluid, contrasting foregrounds. In my early years, I focused heavily on Earth tones and tended to create more subdued compositions. That was comfortable for me and it also tended to have the broadest consumer appeal for home interiors. But as I have begun to work with more interior designers, I have been asked to create more vibrant contrasting works that become statement pieces for high-end interiors, rather than blend in.
My photography tends to be very diverse, as I photograph everything from landscape and still life to individual and group portraits. I enjoy portraiture for the human expression and emotion that it captures, but I enjoy landscape and still life photography for the endless composition options. I also tend to enjoy the creative license that you can take with landscape and still life photography when editing.
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| Pyramid Paradise by Brian T. O'Rourke |
I have always had a passion for art and all things that are aesthetically pleasing. My maternal grandfather was a very creative, right-brained individual and my mother is the same way. I am truly blessed to have their genes. I started out drawing when I was young, painting when I got into high school, and I didn’t dabble in photography until I purchased my first digital camera after college. I was instantly seduced by the immediate gratification that photography offered. Almost immediately people began to comment on my composition and said I had an eye for photography. So I guess that was a hidden talent.
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| From the California Fall Collection by Brian T. O'Rourke |
Where do you find inspiration?
I am a voracious consumer of home design and photography magazines. I love seeing what other artists and designers are doing. That always inspires me. With photography, I really just force myself to get out and explore new places. I try to take new angles of traditional scenes until I find something that looks good in the frame. With my paintings, I usually start with a pre-defined color palette and just work the paint until something inside me tells me that it’s done.
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| Crackle by Brian T. O'Rourke |
What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
I enjoy the creation of something new that did not exist before the most. I love creating a beautiful photograph or a painting that has striking colors and composition. I also love the relaxation that creating art brings to me. Business can be stressful, so the creation process is my right-brained release.
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| Industrial by Brian T. O'Rourke |
Accolades, Awards & Accomplishments:
I was very excited when Macy’s picked up my artwork and began selling it in their Look Galleries a few years ago. I have also had the honor of working with some very prestigious private clients and interior designers. My photography has been featured in national photography magazines and my paintings have been featured in interior design publications. Any time that someone appreciates my work enough to buy it, I am honored.
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| The Artistry of Brian T. O'Rourke |
Contact Info:
Brian T. O'Rourke
Wowsers! Really amazing work.
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