Artists Statement:

I surround myself with the objects I paint. If I’m attracted to something I take it into my studio and ‘sit with it’ - it may be months or even years before it will make an appearance. My long-held fascination for organic things such as; insects, flowers and fruit rot and disintegrate on shelves or in little boxes around me and it is this transition, the transformation of these objects, that I am attracted to.

Visual diaries, drawings and watercolours are an essential part of my process, they are the mapping of my ideas. The immediacy of these mediums inform my paintings and I deliberately break all the ‘rules’ with watercolours so mistakes will happen. I try to draw something from the surface and layers harnessing the accidents and little surprises.

I work on many canvases at the same time slowly building up the surfaces or sit with them and allow the picture to dictate what should happen next. “Air”is an important element I try to retain in the work, so like the objects that are carefully placed the surface of the painting is just as considered. Many layers end up wiped off with rags, my painting rags are just as important as my brushes.