ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

 

So called mid-life is a great platform for looking back and looking forward.

It is the kind of vista that can bring about a particular type of fear and uncertainty. How fortunate to have the torchlight of art to find my way at such times.

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My art practice is woven into my everyday experiences and responsibilities as a family member, a community member, artist and psychotherapist. I view all of these roles as being rich with the task of making sense and meaning from the wider and deeper cultural and historical circles and see them as a great source of symbolism and influence in my work. There is a strong sense of the natural world in my paintings and animals, trees, flowers and plants observed across time appear again and again in new settings, sometimes taking on a strong sense of character and significance in the work. The thread that weaves through all of my art making is my curiosity for the role imagery can play in bridging everyday life with experiences that are harder to explain.

 

In my role as a therapist I witness the large role imagery and symbolism play in the way people process their understandings of the world and I think the relationship between the subconscious realm and conscious action has been explored using mark making from ancient times and I have always sought out ways to add to this human endeavour.

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I explore unconventional surfaces for painting as it sets up a conversational language that can carry both the painted image and the character of the surface. This can be odd, frustrating. It is also deeply satisfying , requiring a stance in which neither the surface nor the medium is favoured; both have expression. 

 

Please find my artist  CV here​​​​​​