The body of my work over the last 8 years has focused primarily on mark-making with texture and colour through paint, mainly in oil on canvas.
Initially, I trained as a Printed Textile Designer. When I first began painting my ethos was mainly influenced by Abstract Expressionists, such as Hoffman, Rothko and Still, as I only painted when I felt positive and calm, to allow the viewer to experience the same emotions. My mark-making was very instinctive and flat. I used metal scrapers to layer paint on and then off to reveal the marks made.
However, the reasons to create work changed. My driver became to explore, make and reflect on my process to deepen understanding. This shift prompted me to apply for my first residency – responding to the World War II text ‘Fair Stood the Wind for France’ by H.E. Bates. The text is dark and it was the first time I produced a body of work that explored themes of violence, war, suicide, insecurity and death. The paintings were highly emotive, especially through colour. From this point, my mark-making becoming more texturised and dramatic and in some cases, representational.
Because of this, I began painting more openly: mark-making with palette knives, using acrylics, creating raised surface texture, sculpting on canvas and adding free machine embroidery pieces as narrative.
The residency re-introduced me to figure work, which I explored with a Grants for Arts Award in 2007. I studied the figure, often resulting in oil paintings with bold expressive texturised marks, culminating in an exhibition where pieces were displayed sequentially in order of creation.
My fascination between mark-making, texture and colour has always been prevalent in my painting and has been instrumental in how I communicate on canvas. The physical materiality of painting drives me and I enjoy the tactile qualities it produces.
If you would like to discuss any of the paintings or a possible commission, please contact me to arrange an informal meeting.
Previous Work
Current Work
I'm currently half way through the MA in Art and Design. My concept is constantly evolving however; this is my work to date.