Our human need to find spaces where we can connect with the 'here and now', both physically and emotionally, has I believe become increasingly important to our survival in this busy digital world.
John Berger talks about the experience of riding a motorbike:
“If you’re going to survive riding a bike, you have to be totally concentrated on the here and now. You don’t think about the past, you don’t think about the future, you don’t have expectations, except the immediate ones which are to be negotiated. And this concentration on the here and now is curiously calming because while you are alive (riding your bike), you’re moving and you notice what you’re moving through and that’s all that exists.”
At the core of my work is the experience of the here and now in partnership with the wild landscape. It’s about slowing down, finding space, noticing and absorbing moments in the wild that aren't humanly orchestrated. A feeling perhaps of solitude, not loneliness.
In terms of medium, I am interested in the partnership of old and new, drawing on tradition in terms of the materials used but not necessarily in the way the work is presented. I look beyond my own practice for ways to slow us down and provide a calming experience where the overall effect is greater than the sum of its parts. My work begins with the disciplines of drawing and painting, using charcoal; indian ink; graphite and pigment.
I continue to seek ways to present my work which will alter the audience experience, improve health and wellbeing, and I am not afraid to challenge convention if appropriate. I am particularly interested in the work of artists in other disciplines and the potential of collaborations that can create rich audience experiences. This also contributes to taking creative risks. Risk is important to me and, I believe, fundamental to creative growth.