ARTIST STATEMENT

I suppose most importantly I pay attention to what I see around me. I like to reference landscapes that hold my fascination and incorporate these directly into my work. I’ve found that inspiration comes from many sources but specifically images and objects that have left a lasting impression. It’s important for me, not just to have a visual experience but to have a sensory one as well.

The physicality of mark-making is central to what creates any piece of work. Within my paintings, horizon lines are repeated and manipulated along with the deliberate push and pull of paint. These gestures of abstraction are used to mirror the constant shifts occurring within the sea and the sky. In printmaking, etchings usually contain flowing lines which fill the paper with detail and movement. This is especially true when composing images of forest groves: swirling branches, textures on tree trunks and directional markers. I am in awe of the historical importance that ceramics hold (the British Museum is a favourite place). I often use ancient artifacts as templates to create new experimental, sculptural works designed to challenge and question traditional ornamentation.