Artist Statement

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Having worked in art, design and education for nearly 20 years, I returned to painting to find and develop my creative voice. I began to explore the idea that what separates artists from everybody else, is their ability to rest comfortably in the unknown. The period between being asked a question and having an answer. This concept, as well as the effects of internal dialogue, during this period of ambiguity, is what drives and directs much of my work. The marks I make, and the colour palette I use are expressions of emotions which are deeply personal. 
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My work evolves through a series of sittings, each a response to what came before. During the initial stage I lay down a whimsical ground which is intuitive and not planned. I then move into a more considered phase where my technique is at times painterly but often post-painterly in style, which draws largely from my formal training in design. At this point my primary intention is to find a sense of order and balance in both the colour palette and the marks I make. Similar to the puzzle-like structures which sometimes feature in my work, the final result is a sort of ‘fitting’ together of the hastily applied background with a more defined, detail orientated foreground.