My works are often figurative, exploring themes of dream, flight, symbol and the ocean.
Encouraging creativity from a young age
Growing up with an architect father and a dressmaker mother meant I was encouraged to express my creativity as a child – building cubbies, making costumes, sculptures, and artworks from all sorts of materials. Making and creating were a big part of my childhood, and I loved art at high school as it was a way to develop practical skills and processes, and learn about the world through its art.
Inspired by surroundings
The main inspiration for my work comes from my personal experience of living in Perth’s wonderful coastal environment. Observing the land and seascape and experiencing the natural elements of wind, water and waves spark inspiration for my landscape-based abstract works.
These figurative works are associated with the notion of travelling and journeying and the role of dream and the role of dream and memory in our experience.
A unique process
My works have evolved over a period of time through my interest in textiles, printmaking, and painting. The process begins with some exploratory drawings. Some works begin by monoprinting images onto various papers which are then painted using watercolours and acrylics.
Machine stitch is added to emphasise line and texture, and pieces of handpainted fabric, paper, and other materials are collaged and sewn onto the piece. Sometimes I create collages onto backgrounds of transparent papers which are then laminated, or rice paper which is painted and dyed before being sewn on. These pieces are bonded onto board and then painted and worked into using a variety of media, with an emphasis on the subtle interplay of surface, texture, and translucent layers.
Mixing mediums
My mixed media works have naturally evolved from my desire to work with a wide range of mediums and techniques. I often fuse the processes of drawing, printmaking, painting and textiles. The concept of layering is central to my work – expressed literally through the laying down of many layers of different materials, and figuratively through the accumulation of meaning informed by each viewer’s experience.