Why Abstract ?

I DON’T PAINT ‘PICTURES’ - I DON’T PAINT ‘PRETTY’

I PAINT MY EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS TO THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS I HAVE EITHER EXPERIENCED OR ARE AROUND ME.

The sub-conscious link of the colour choices and marks that I am instinctively making guide me to the emotions and memories that are shaping the narrative of the work.  

Creating in this way is my joy.  The push and pull that gets me to a ‘finished work’ is what keeps me coming back.  Being able to look into the final outcome and see the previous layers - either as texture or as a hazy visual reference - gives the work a history and depth which creates a personality all of its own.  When my soul feels that all of these elements are combining together and speaking their truth, I know it is done.  I also love to include some unexpected – often almost hidden – moments to provoke a sense of wonder and/or curiosity.  I use these to pull a viewer in closer to inspect, and to hopefully walk away being thoughtfully awakened and/or intrigued by the interaction.

I also derive a great deal of joy from being with someone interacting with my work. Watching them using their lived experience to frame their interpretation of the work – which is often quite different to mine - is always an interesting and enlightening experience.  The fact that a visual work can be so ‘multi-lingual’ in this way – and having the work speak its story to them quite uniquely as their own - is always amazing. 

It is always very special being able to awaken some joy in others with my work, and I never take that gift for granted. 

Enjoy your browse…