Artist Statement

I want to live a creative life with no regrets.

My intention is to extend to the viewer my endless curiosity and love of all things natural and man-made. I'm thankful for the opportunity to have art as an outlet and a part of myself is left in every piece I create.

For as long as I can recall I have loved creating. As a very young child I remember having a copy of John Constable's The Hay Wain on the wall at home and I would stare at it for hours trying to figure out how on earth anybody could paint something so marvelous. This is pretty much how I view all genres of art even now... the psyche, the method, and the wonder of how we all see the world in our own unique way.

My process always begins with an idea that revolves in my mind. I then picture myself creating the piece, which is often the longest part of the preparation process. Then I loosen up and let it all out on the canvas.

I prefer to follow my instincts and don't like to tie myself to any one medium, therefore Mixed Media is perfect for me. I believe this is due in-part to my being fairly ambidextrous when I create: my left hand for the palette knife, both hands for the brushes, my right hand for the precise details. Many of my pieces feature collage, whether just elements or in its entirety.

Collage has a special place in my heart. I have my wonderful late Mum to thank for this, the endless hours as a child spent sticking things and making pictures using glue made from flour and water. My Mum would pick up free wall paper sample books from the store for us to tear up and we would use old boxes as our substrate. Nowadays the glue is acrylic gel medium with a final 2-3 coats of UV protectant varnish. The tactile pleasure of deconstructing pages of pictures and using them as my palette, rearranging them into something new, has never left me. There is nothing like scouring the pages of discarded books and magazines and tearing out the perfect piece. My studio is my happy place where I feed my soul, and get lost in the pure joy that is ART.