I am a figurative artist who has been influenced by the German expressionists
as well as medieval art. I have exhibited both nationally and internationally.
Much of my work is motivated by an exploration of personal memories and the expression of psychological states of trauma and anxiety. Though the sources of my imagery are often autobiographical, my work communicates universal concerns and emotions, especially from a woman's perspective.
I work mainly in paint and mixed media, but always with paper and in series of at least 10 images. I work in a variety of media for different projects in order to challenge myself. The skills developed working with one technique feed into other projects and give them a fresh perspective.
Some of my recent projects include the untold storyboard (acrylic on paper using a limited palette of colours to express re-imagined scenes from my own life), she (acrylic on paper exploring different aspects of myself through portraits of real and imagined women), little little girl (monoprints of stylised fairy tale images of my childhood), and in honour of my father (large scale colourful paintings to honour my father's death, including studies for the project).
During 2007 and 2008 I embarked on a major project called women's work (wife, mother, and woman) which comprises of well over 100 images, all of which started as monoprints, but which have undergone various amounts of over-painting and cutting out.
women's work attempts to externalise the inner turmoil of unexpressed emotions of guilt, anger, feeling trapped, conflicting demands, and disempowerment which often accompany the roles of wife, mother, housekeeper and woman.
"In common with many women, despite the joys of motherhood and being married, I have often felt frustrated, pulled apart by conflicting responsibilities, sucked dry by contradictory demands, and oppressed by a sense of duty and convention. "
The women's work project slowly metamorphised into a new series called the change which explores the feelings of individual women who are trapped by convention, roles and other 'shoulds and oughts'. There are around 60 images in this series, all black and white and all modified monoprints.
My 2008 project in limbo uses chalk pastels, black ink and acrylic to explore vivid landscapes populated by a multitude of figures who seem to be escaping, but are apparently trapped in a variety of vortices and crevices.
This was followed by night visitors which attempts to personify our inner demons. It is in the dark when our imaginations give faces to our innermost fears. We all have monsters and demons within us which rear their ugly heads when we are at our most vulnerable. By literally giving face to fear, I had hoped to exorcise some of my own demons. But in the end, it turns out that the night visitors are scared and have fears of their own!
The next project I have called purdah. In some Islamic and Hindu cultures women need explicitly to conceal their form and hide their bodies from men. In the West, women over a certain age become invisible, their bodies are ignored, they are simply not seen by men.
Purdah consists of a series of vibrant, colourful images, each of which contain faces and figures which are not immediately evident. Hidden amongst the rich textures and bold colours are women who are concealed by blending in with their surroundings.
My current, ongoing project is called la la land: the land we go to when we sleep: a parallel universe where all is revealed and nothing is hidden. All life is here in all shapes and sizes. This is a joyful, light-hearted place where people interact freely and express themselves openly. It is a bright, attractive world which lures us in with the promise of what might be. But, just as in waking life, on closer examination we catch the odd glimpse of pain.
