Dean was working on the Visual Art for the Baz Luhrmann's film 'Elvis' (2022), where he was inspired by an old Petrol/General store he painted onset. He used the same style of store in a desert highway scene as inspiration for this painting.

The Charger was a car his band member drove when they were in Aussie band, 'Kings of the Sun' (Dean on Bass), and he just loves the Triumph and Indian.  Finally, ZZ Top's Ford was a must for this painting.

The bands (AC/DC, Guns N Roses, Motorhead, Metallica, Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, ZZ Top and Van Halen) are his personal inspirations in those early years.  Due to space issues, there are so many more that he would love to have added, but it would have crowded the picture. (See the 'Who's Who' listing image for everyones name/band)

From the development of the first idea to the completion of this painting took nearly 18 months.  It's a pain staking task to compose a painting like this.  Initial composition can take 6 months of placing people, moving, removing and finding the right energy for the final image - and that's before the painting even starts.

The original is painted on a 3m x 1.5m canvas that Dean hangs in his dining room wall to allow him to work on it between his other commitments.

The Highway to Hell Creation story.....

After completing the 'Ultimate Gangster Reunion' in late 2020, Dean was on a roll...

He jumped straight onto putting the concept drawing together for what was later titled 'Highway to Hell'.

He had just finished the Baz Luhrmann movie 'Elvis' where he worked as a visual artist on the set, and he was pumped to keep his artistic juices flowing.

The background concept for this painting came together when he stood back and took a photo of one of the set designs he painted from the 'Elvis' movie (the start of the movie had featured these old run down looking shacks when Elvis grew up singing Gospel music).

He came home to his wife that day saying 'I'm going to use this photo in my next painting".... he was moved by the photo he had taken. Alongside that he always has had an interest in the visuals of American Desert Highways - Route 66.

He continued to work on the concept of this painting on and off for a year, in between painting murals, and helping his wife with their 5 Kids!!

The Highway to Hell would have to be one of his personal favourite masterpieces. As a muso for many years, this collaboration of mainly 80's rockers had inspired him for decades. He really enjoyed painting this one. It's his cup of tea!

When he finally put paint brush to canvas in early 2022, he spent roughly 7mths painting this masterpiece.

He painted it from his living room wall on a 3mx1.5m canvas, using only acrylic paint and his brushes.

This piece certainly captures an era in the music world which any 50yr old would understand and relate to.

As a personal favourite Dean hopes you too can get the same enjoyment from a walk down this memory lane.

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