About
I founded dollarsandart in 2011 initially as an outlet for expression during a rather testing and challenging time - my own story if you will. It's evolved somewhat and I'm very grateful for the collaborations and commissions I've been fortunate enough to deliver with my Engage : Create : Facilitate model whilst continuing to develop my own body of work with my obsessive 'one collection per year' goal as I approach the 15th dollarsandarrt collection with vigour.
The ENGAGE bit is the key starting point, the most rewarding have been when the client, photographed below, with the Headmaster of a school during a 50th year anniversary commission...
A celeb such as larger than life character like Frankie Dettori...
or a company looking to bring their part of their lifestyle brand essence to life, such as The Els Golf Club, Dubai....
IN each case the client is very much engaged and involved in the creative process & I I learn something from all of them so it's thankfully now a platform to encourage others to create, share and tell their story.
Back story - The ‘ME’ bit
Originally from the North West of England I studied Civil Engineering at Nottingham University, then my Masters in California before returning to the UK for a career in Sales and Marketing. I moved to Dubai in 2002 where I was fortunate to experience 'both sides of the surreal coin' through commercial roles in both Construction and Golf.
During a challenging time almost a decade ago, Art became my reason to be, a lifeline and a critical outlet to express my feelings as an essential vehicle for my self-worth. My heartfelt desire to express myself during the journey through creative expression led to launching dollarsandart, largely to help keep things in perspective during disruptive times.
As I was lost and as a cry for help, I dug deeper exploring money, people and creativity further I began to express myself, experiences, struggles and successes through Art. The universal symbol of the $ seemed to impact and influence so many decisions, providing the motivation for and the limitation of many of our decisions in life. I decided that the dollar for all its pro’s and con’s along with grains of sand in nature and in industry would be a central feature of my work as Dollarsandart was born.
I felt I was onto something whilst becoming disillusioned with the superficiality of a material existence. There seemed to be an unwritten life rule that money is integral to happiness and happiness is a natural by product of money so I explored this further, chipping away, bit by bit by egotistical bit.
With 14 collections, 10 years on with the relentless quest to get my work liked and accepted, trying to explore both sides of the coin as the sands of time shifted I started to explore my own initial premise of combining singed bank notes, sand and mixed media further....
Dollars and Art / Dollar sand art
Dollar : Money, energy and exchange.
Sand : Each grain looks the same from afar but really close, totally different.
Art : Making money from what you enjoy doing as the real, authentic you!
I realised there were other pockets of society where my energy was far better served during the summer of 2019 during a Community, Identity and Value workshop at HMP Berwyn, Wrexham and Coleg Cambria, North Wales launching The Best of British Collection with the Life Skills students.
Moving from 'ME' to 'WE', whilst still delivering commissions and preparing for the 10th collection I now enjoy sharing what I've learnt encouraging others to realise the power of creativity holding improved performance training workshops with groups....
In forms of recognition for top performing team members in various roles such as the affiliates down at The Track, Meydan Golf.....
...to Corporate and brand identity with team building along the way in a dragons den style fun filled workshop.....
and communities at large with a little help from my friends...
With their unique form of expression that brilliantly captures in one image the dollarsandart journey so far at The Best of British kicks in......
Harnessing Art for mindfulness, productivity, playfulness and the support of mental health, rehabilitation, engagement and well-being is very much the focus alongside commissions, collaborations and workshops.
Creating - Opportunities for people and brands
Aston Martin Wilmslow DB 11 launch, Wilmslow, Cheshire
Facilitating - Motivational Workshops for people and society
HMP Berwyn Community, identity and Values
Engaging - Through key-note speaking and teambuilding
OR we can Zoom, Zoom, Sheikh the room of course!
Lewis Hamilton Commission
Contemporary Art with a story
Engaging Creating Facilitating
'Supporting people and brands through creativity'
Mindfulness in 2020 with Jigsaws
'Your works not cheap but I do love a Jigsaw' came a comment on insta during the first lockdown in 2020 as The GAMES2020 collection was taking shape....
So jigsaws it was as the art was made more accessible!
It's in the air
Ambition is not to be sniffed out so then came the real oud based dollarsandart Fragrance 2021 as thrive not just survive kicked in again during lockdown...
That's another story that will be dripped in as time marches on...
The dance goes on - Get you're Gorilla on!
Then the planets aligned in March 2022 when an approach from film maker Terry Stone, previous commission on Frank Sinatra - 2015...
to bring my Gorilla logo to life....
mint on the blockchain, 3D, immortalise, merch and tie into a truly decentralised film (Tales from the trap) backed by Filmcoin...
as the planets align and it's all was shape with The Grime Gorilla$!
Thanks for reading this far, keep on chasing those dreams!
