Artist Statement
I find my environment a constant source of inspiration; the physical presence of the world engenders a response which I seek to capture.
The work stems from a study of light. It’s not that it’s “Grim up North”, but we do get atmospheric conditions that create some fantastic awe inspiring lighting effects. I find it a lot more interesting when things start to disappear into the darkness than when they’re brightly lit.
Through drawing my environment I become aware of patterns that are hidden beneath the surface, which form the compositional element of the work. This allows me to explore the sensuality of surfaces in a more sculptural manner than traditional painting will allow, recreating an immediate physical response. The physicality of the materials and techniques highlight an ambiguity of scale creating the illusion of a wider vista into the supposed surface of a brick or patch of ground. I aim to cut out a piece of reality and contain it within the two-dimensional surface; to create an emotional memory of a place, a unique moment of a memory.
The sensuality of the surface balanced with quiet colours (often direct representation of the environment) is a celebration of the quiet realities of life, realities whose beauty and subtly is often hidden behind our familiarity with the ordinary. I live an ordinary life, in an ordinary place, it is only when I try to make work about them that I realise how extraordinary they are.