Brett Campbell was a high achiever in banking before his life suddenly changed ten years ago. He discovered an artistic temperament that led to a successful new career as a mosaic artist.
“At 26 years old I was a bank manager at Metway in Buderim”, says Brett. “But I decided to turn my life upside down and make art”.
Brett’s wife Lesley is creative too and she had always fantasised about making and selling mosaics at the markets. One day out of frustration Brett made a mosaic. He was hooked for the next few days, and after three months he turned his back on a promising and secure banking career.
“I think I realised that you couldn’t be passionate about banking”, says Brett reflectively. “I started going to the markets and I became prolific while not really making much money. But I have a strong ability with numbers and computers and I eventually built a website business selling mosaic kits and my own mosaics.”
Brett admits that being a finicky numbers man he scrupulously designs and assembles his mosaics.
“It’s a subtle treatment … obsessive compulsive disorder”, he laughs. “I have a picture in my mind and I go to extraordinary lengths to get it. I don’t draw but because I am handy with the computer and programs like Photoshop I mainly use photos as the basis for my designs. Basically I guess the art happens on the computer and the craftsmanship happens in the studio.”
Brett’s studio in the heart of Flaxton rain forest has a separate storage area for hundreds of ceramic tiles of every possible colour. Ask Brett for a particular shade and it will come to hand because of his photographic brain.
The delicate and subtle colour changes in Brett’s human portraits are proof of Brett’s precise attention to tone and hue, something that gives his mosaics a remarkable photo realism.
His huge store of tiles large and small means he can cut pieces with astonishing precision.
“Every tile needs to be thought about”, says Brett . “I cut them down to size by machine, or by hand using three different types of snips. I then glue the pieces onto compressed fibre cement or timber if it’s a piece meant for indoors.”
Hinterland residents may well have seen Brett’s three enormous mosaics on the exterior of The Mayfield shopping complex in Montville. These bright tropical landscapes follow naive designs but have a rare delicate finish which is the hallmark of Brett’s work.
“I mainly do commission work”, says Brett. “Tables are popular and we are one of the few in Australia making handmade iron work tables. They go everywhere – Sydney and Melbourne mainly.
It was Brett’s business acumen that led him to construct a website and a business where he sells mosaic kits and showcases his own various designs and commissions. His large outdoor tables can sell for up to $5000 and are often bought as family heirlooms.
Brett Campbell is conscious that he is living the good life, tucked away on a sprawling property next to state forest and tending a large vegetable garden in his spare time.
“Lesley and I now have a great lifestyle. We have four kids and I couldn’t be happier really. I will never retire”, he adds with a laugh.
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