His work, often inspired by the stories of aboriginal dreamings stretching from Greenbushes country to mo’olelos of Kekaha, is painted with bold strokes, warm and vibrant colors. In Atooi Te Moana Nui A Kiva, he has a distinct style of strokes of burnt orange and yellow, as well as strong patterns that tell the story of Polynesians in one canoe across the great Pacific Ocean in the light of a God. Derek Glaskin’s works capture his authenticity in creating indigenous art in the life and times of Cosmopolynesia.
Aside from Atooi Te Moana Nui A Kiva, his ceremonial artworks include Pueo Aliʻi Nui that shows an owl defined as the wise Aumakua (spirit animal) for any great Hawaiian Aliʻi Nui or king and Kamehameha which tells the story of the Aliʻi Nui (King) who united the Hawaiian Islands, among many others.
He considers himself blessed for contributing to the art during the cosmopolynesian times, that is, in the time when humans are out conquering heavenly bodies, just as the Polynesians colonized islands in the past.
For Derek, authenticity is a gift. However, one must know that being authentic comes through hard work and a product of one’s own environment. Somehow spending more than 30 years in Hawaii has even elevated his consciousness for some awakening based on the ancient wisdom of tribal nature and appeal.
His work reflects the Hawaiian phrase, Kūlia i ka nu’u, which means “to strive to reach the summit” and Kū i ka māna “to be like the one from whom you have learned.” He put those together and lived by the philosophy, “To be like the one from whom you have learned, (you have) to strive to reach the summit.”
His talent has been honed during college, where he learned from his college art lecturers “X” New York Times Pen and wash artist George Voudouris who taught commercial illustration to the evening part-time classes at the Perth Technical College from 1969 to 1981.
“When it comes to making art, whether it be fine, or graphic l tend to stick to my own guns,” Derek remarks. “It’s important for me not to fashion my work after another, it’s my signature.” He admits he is old school and believes in the classics even when his work has a twist of contemporary. Despite the fact that viral art has been popping out from anywhere, he wanted to focus more on leading extraordinary art – timeless.
Derek made it to different art exhibits across the world such as in “World Expos” in 1988 to 1992, “Golden Week” Tokyo Japan, “Boot Show” Dusseldorf Germany, over to the Eastside of America at the University of Virginia’s “Kluge Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection” over to the city of Groove, San Francisco.
Now, Derek is set out to produce and exhibit corporate collections of original fine artworks with vertical product marketing and production. With his work reaching more people, Derek Glaskin hopes that it is about time for art other than the western visual art to be consumed by the public.
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