Cameron Haas began studying fine art at the University of Tasmania and completed his studies at the National Art School in Sydney where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in 2010. He now lives and works in Canberra.

This new body of work is about drawing. I have made a shift from geometric painting with its crisp lines and flat paint surfaces to these new works, stepping into more organic forms and revisiting explorations I made in this field at the end of my studies. This new focus, or refocus, in my practice has been brought about by a deliberate desire to step back into the unknown, but also serendipitously as a result of day to day circumstances.

In recent years, I’ve become a father to two children, and this has meant my time in the studio now comes in concentrated bursts of energy, at a moment’s notice. I’ve taken again to having a sketchbook with me, drawing when I can, and this has brought me closer to a previously lost daily practice.

In preparatory drawing I have developed forms. Over time and many drawings these have become almost figurative in the way they sit and interact within the drawing and painting space.

These compositions are transferred onto the canvas with large brushes and paint. I then work all the elements to a resolution constantly altering shape, line, edge, finish, colour and tone. Whilst the paint surface is flat, looking closer will reveal previous layers of colour and changes in edge quality as well as changes to the overall composition.

Making changes, painting over, and erasing has all returned to my process, which has made for a transition to-wards new areas of inquiry and for the more immediate and organic tone to these new works.