Dave Kohlman - Melbourne VIC

 

I was born in Melbourne Australia back in 1973, and as long as I can recall was interested in drawing and all things unusual and a touch macabre. I had a healthy collection of toys...but maybe an unhealthy fascination with the types; Rubber skeletons, snakes and spiders, monsters and masks adorned my room... and if it was a night in front of the TV with a movie, you could always count on it being from the horror section at the local video shop. My drawings always reflected my influences, and I think on many occasions my folks were maybe a little worried by their content.

I can still remember back in the late 70's...pounding the pavement of my neighbourhood, peddling my drawings of Ace Frehley and Gene Simmons (my idols at the time) to any willing buyers... and I think from memory, making enough coin to spend down the local milk bar on lollies and lick on tattoos.

I continued drawing throughout school, and was always a big contributor to school magazines and publications. During the 80's I discovered Dungeons & Dragons, and spent way too much time with mates exploring realms in our imaginations. Even though looking back at how awkward and geeky this time was for me... that’s right, no girlfriends for any of us! It also influenced my artwork. All of a sudden, a whole world of orcs, dragons, warriors and elf’s jumped out from the pages of the game manuals at me, and I would marvel at this world of fantasy... the detail in every illustration, and the apparent danger these dark worlds reflected drew me in. I started drawing my characters in the game, careful to try to reproduce the detail I had seen, and to make them come alive. This then of course, led to comics, and the artwork that filled their pages... and then on to me coming up with my own deranged comic strips. Thank god I moved on from this nerdy stage in my life, and discovered music and skateboarding.

WOW... I fell instantly in love with the graphics on the different boards of this era; Santa Cruz... with the art of Jim Phillips, Simms, Vision, and Powell Peralta to name a few. The composition and colours incorporated in the designs, how crisp and bright they were, blew me away, and still do. I think it was this time vivid colour rubbed off on me...pun intended. Anyway... I immediately started to design and draw my own board designs, and before too long, struck a deal with my local skate shop painting blank decks up for them to sell, and in receipt, getting the occasional blank for myself for free. I was probably getting the poorer end of the deal, but I was thrilled to have my artwork on boards for sale above the counter on the wall... amongst all the other boards I admired.

Skateboarding, being a teenager and an obsession with music and bands go hand in hand, and I was no different. I tended to gravitate toward the heavier styles; Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motley Crue and Poison (maybe not so heavy). I loved the artwork on the sleeves and covers, and again, I found it influencing my artwork... and maybe my dress sense!

I soon left school at the tender age of sixteen to begin my journey in hairdressing to become a barber. I had always dreamed of doing something with my art, but at this age, and struggling with school, there were not many options for me... except for sign writing, and I could see myself ending up operating a computer instead of brush in hand.

Working, socialising, drinking and cars didn't lend much time to me drawing, so the artwork got shelved for some time. Hairdressing and more so, barbering have been good to me, and has kept me being creative. I have met a lot of my good friends through it... but the best thing of all with my chosen line of work was meeting my beautiful wife Natalie.

After working together for some time, we started dating, and found we shared the same twisted sense of humour and love of horror movies and crime books, period furniture, fashion and art. I started doing silly little sketches for her of the things we laughed about, which led her to seeing some of my previous drawings and paintings. So... with Natalie's encouragement I embarked on my world of art again... but this time with a new arsenal of influences to accompany my earlier ones... all mixed together like a tropical cocktail...

Recipe :

A good splash of colour
3/4 a bottle of rum
A healthy dose of ' tiki exotica '
1/4 ounce of the bizarre
Shaken, not stirred (by a monkey of course!!)
pour on ice, and garnish with fun.

Kick back, relax and enjoy your journey into my world. Cheers.