In retrospect my art-making has been, as one would expect, a constantly evolving process that has changed continually over the years. My works vary in medium such as paintings in oils, acrylics, watercolours, digital as well as sculptures predominantly carved from wood but also some constructivist pieces in mixed media. The work is mostly an exploration for discovery, sometimes to express meaning but often just to be playful. It can be symbolic, surrealistic, expressionistic or abstract. My watercolours, are mostly representations of place, such as experienced in travel. For cataloging purposes I have divided my works as:
An Introduction to my Work
1. Landscape
2. Abstract
3. Portrait/People/Still Life
4. Watercolour
5. Digital & Animation
6. Sculpture
There are some recurring themes in my work. An interpretation of the Australian landscape often appears in the work; usually depicting stillness, vastness, sometimes brokenness or simply as a framework to hang other ideas off. Realistic (copyist) representation is not strived for. I like to work strongly with colour and many of my paintings have an illusive 3D structural quality about them as well as a reference to movement or time. This movement is explored further through the process of digitising and animating some of my images. The fluidity of time and space is often a conundrum explored.
I see spirit as the active force in the world and matter as born of spirit. Painting for me lends reality to the spirit force and my best paintings are those not constrained to representational reality but try to approach an expressive reality using colour, form and texture to express energy or spirit force.
The art-making process can reveal new insights or new mental vantage points to both the practitioner and the observer. As we all come from a different life experience; to expect a common perceived reality would be unrealistic. I do not expect a single interpretation of my works. There are a number of forms or symbols that keep reappearing in my work, my personal iconography. I have included a list below of some of these symbols and my use of colour for your interest.
My Personal Iconography
Listed below are some examples of a personal iconography I use in many of my works. They are only examples and their individual meaning and nuances can vary in the context of the painting.
SYMBOLS
Australian Landscape: Vast, still, omnipresent. Sometimes threatened by human impacts
Kangaroo: Elastic, potential energy
Birds, flying insects: Spiritual world
Wombat, platypus: Deep subconscious
Buds: Potential
Goanna: Quiet observer, a signpost, potential for movement and purpose
Water: The unconscious, depth, movement of time, rarely stilled
Square: Rest, stability, balance
Circle: Movement, contained energy, infinity
Triangles: Sharp, keen, can express movement or stability depending on the orientation
'V' shapes: Lightness, laughter
Colour:
I use colour primarily to express feeling but also to express sound and movement.
Vibrant Juxtaposed Colour: Vibration, potential for movement, excite senses, stimulate imagination
Yellow: Warmth, radiates, female, gentle, cheerful and sensual
Lemon Yellow: Sour, shrill, sharp
Greens: Calm, restful with potential energy for activity
Blue reds: Heavy, noble, indignation, affection, sad deep notes of wood instruments.
Yellow red: Warm, strong, vigorous, anger, motion, harsh ringing or trumpet sounds.
Light red: Cold, pure, vibrant, violin sound
Blue: Cool, receding, sorrowful in deeper tones, male, severe, spiritual and restful
Brown: Earth, unemotional, lacks movement
White: Silence, pregnant with possibility, pause in music
Black: Dead silence with no possibilities, motionless, grief, death
CV
My art qualifications and experience, in brief, are as follows:
· NSW Art Certificate (MVTAFE 4PT)
· Art Theory Monash University (2PT)
· Advanced Art Certificate (Wollongong TAFE 1PT)
· NSW Sculpture Certificate (MVTAFE 1PT)
· Woodcarving P.Otto (1PT)
· Tex Moeckel oil painting classes(2PT)
· 3.5 yrs FT as contemporary furniture designer and Manufacturer
· First major show of paintings and sculpture 1991
· Sundry workshops and paid for classes throughout personal artmaking history
· Have taught fine art and sculpture at secondary school level
· Regular exhibition and sale of paintings over 40 years