The Face Behind the Art
I began painting in 2008 with no formal art training but with a desire to learn and have fun.
Over the years I had enjoyed 'making things' but picking up a paintbrush was for me the beginning of a love affair where time passes in the blink of an eye, where I am transported away from the ordinariness of everyday life.
I'm not afraid to experiment or break the rules as I've learned that this can lead to amazing moments of surprise and joy.
I am inspired by the natural sub-tropical bush setting I call home,
the colours, the shapes, textures, lines, shadows, and reflections. You will see some or all of these in my work regardless of whether the piece is abstract or more representational. My artworks are characterised by the many layers as I explore the idea of looking through, into, and between the objects within each piece.
I love colour and try to push the boundaries to create artwork that is striking from a distance but provides so much more when you get in close.
My Creative Process
My Art practice is always evolving as I find ways of working that feel right for me.
My process involves an initial period of discovery where I work quite quickly and intuitively layering paint with no particular end result in mind. My paintings have a real sense of movement in them and I think a lot of that comes from this early stage. I am open to all possibilities. I scrape, sand or scratch back into both wet and dry paint making my own dialogue of marks revealing the history of underneath layers. I might draw, add collage, create texture.
As my composition starts to emerge my actions become more deliberate and considered. This is a period of questioning and exploration as I make choices as to what stays and what is edited.
I want my paintings to retain a sense of spontaneity. There is always a danger to explain too much, to tighten up, to go too far. I am conscious that at any time a painting may be calling out for me to take a risk, be bold and to reenergise the canvas.
As the end phase arrives, changes tend to be quite minor until I reach the point where I can sit back and be satisfied that I have conveyed a piece that is unique to me.
Starting A Painting
It’s all about layers and mark making. I use the paint loosely letting the colours mix on the canvas and continually change the direction of my brushstrokes. I scratch back through the paint drawing botanical imagery or textural marks. I lift paint off using tissue paper. Gradually adding some organic and botanical shapes by painting the negative space. Introducing black crayon line drawing to add another dimension to the artwork. I know a lot of these will change as my composition develops.
From here it will be a process of add and subtract as I respond to each area of the canvas and the composition as a whole. I don’t know the destination but I know I’ll love the experience of getting there.