Florals
My muse for this series was found in a pile of paint rags folded on a shelf in the studio. Amongst this stack of scraps
and linens were several patterned fabrics too pretty to discard and here began the process of using printed material
as a backdrop for large scale floral paintings- an intermingling of life-like flowers with the stylized patterns they had originally inspired.
These rich mixed media backgrounds provide a complex space where simple blooms unfold. The decorative designs inform the selection of subject, the colour scheme and overall mood of the work. Patterns advance and recede as layers of colour are built up to create an intricate web of life where what lies beneath the surface is carefully woven into the subject that rests on top.
Still Life
The used, the worn, the loved or the discarded; these are the subjects that are the threads that weave the stories of the people and the places that live in my mind.
Some of the canvases have been waiting for me for over a decade, urging me to bring them from the forgotten corners into the light. And as I revisit the subjects that find their way onto the canvas, I recollect the memories and re-member my way back to my self.
