THE PROCESS
Detail of 'To Touch the Intangible'
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Surreal Art
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Mindscapes
A self-confessed dreamer I have always lived with my head not far from the clouds. Within these sky-scraping realms where reality extends towards fantasy I feel free to explore my own perspective of the world around me. My paintings are visualisations of this world, a world born of philosophical ponderings during endless hours spent drawing and marvelling the wonders of nature.
All of my paintings materialise through a desire to share the awe I feel for the intricacy and beauty of the natural world - a vast web of patterns, cycles, rhythms and energies co-existing in delicate balance. From a microscopic organism to an exploding supernova we are all part of the same fabric, within my paintings the patterns of this 'fabric' are the roots from which narratives grow. Inspiration strikes during moments of sublime wonderment, perhaps at some leaves dancing around on a windy autumn day - watching their flitting and fluttering journey may give thought to the cycles of the seasons prompting metaphors in my mind for the journeys of human experiences. (click for image link). Or perhaps some dew drops twinkling jewel-like on blades of grass will appear to me as a meadow of stars conjuring thoughts of alternate worlds (Click for image link). When I start to sketch the narratives of my thoughts, layers of symbolism grow as my metaphorical muse awakens. These creative visions help me to feel a strengthened connection with nature and my aim is to help others feel it too.
At the heart of this cerebral process beats a palpable rhythm of spirituality, the creative process is synergy of mind and spirit.
Although grounded in curiosity for natural science, my paintings are also guided by enigmatic unknowns. As much as I love to increase my knowledge of natural phenomena through the reading of modern theory I am equally captivated by mystical ideas of legend, fantasy, magic and myth. I paint to seek a common ground between present-day thought and ancestral belief, between the ideologies of my culture and those of ancient others and to bridge the gap between intellectual thought and spiritual intuition.
My paintings are pictorial mindscapes where fact and fiction merge, places where you can choose to think or simply to feel.
As someone who profoundly values the natural world Environmental Awareness is something I feel very strongly about. My choice of paint medium is motivated by these concerns, I paint principally with gouache and watercolour because they are low toxicity and have minimal environmental impact. I use acrylics when I want to vary colours and textures as they too are water-soluble and have low toxin benefits, however I decided against the use of oils on the basis of a personal dislike of exposure to and disposal of chemicals. Human over-consumption of the earth's precious resources is another of my decision drivers so water-based mediums appeal to me as they result in very little waste. I enjoy the variety of both opaque and translucent effects that can be rendered with these mediums.
Through the images I paint it is my desire to inspire a deeper appreciation of our environment both by celebration of it but also by way of exploring our somewhat fractured relationship with it: we have a tendency in modern life to separate ourselves from this tapestry within which we are inextricably woven. In order for us not to become a loose thread that threatens to unravel the richness and perfection of nature's creation I feel that we need to reconnect to the magic which surrounds us. I hope that my paintings bring to life a little of that magic for you.