Artist Statement......
I started my journey towards mixed media very early in life, as a young person, I was always found with a pencil or crayon in my hand, drawing, colouring and indulging in the requisite ‘mud pies’ of childhood. The women of my family taught me all the traditional handcrafts, the manipulation of fabrics and threads to create beautiful and useful items. And to this date there is still a large part of me that needs to feel that each item I create will have some useful purpose! I am endeavoring to replace ‘purpose’ with ‘meaning’ but I suspect it will be a lifelong process.
Having not attained any formal tertiary qualifications in my chosen field, I have spent the interim years, reading, studying, analyzing, experimenting and practicing to hone my skills, always with an open mind and an eagerness to try new artistic media and techniques. Consequently I have arrived as a ‘Multi Media Artist’ switching between different materials as the muse directs me. I have found that by working in this way, each session feeds new life and inspiration into the next, until I have come full circle again. Then the magic happens – the mixing of media, colours and textures combine to create richly detailed works of art that excite the senses.
I have been working in clay since the late 1970s and have seen many trends come and go, yet the construction of a useful pot still has great meaning for me, the cool wet clay is very tactile and the process of shaping and refining is almost a form of meditation. Then conversely the anticipation of waiting to open the furnace is at once exhilarating and terrifying – not knowing if the ‘Kiln Gods’ have been benevolent. Painting with acrylics is equally as satisfying and much more predictable in the outcome. I am drawn to the vibrancy of the colours and the versatility that the medium provides, using the paint as thin as watercolour or with the impasto of oils. The quick drying properties have also lent themselves extremely well to my form of mixed media.
As an artist I find endless inspiration in the extremes of the Taranaki environment, particularly the fantastic black sand beaches and the things found washed ashore, some of my very first paintings were small highly detailed studies of shells and seaweed. I aim for my works to evoke in the viewer, feelings or memories of our times spent in New Zealand’s wild outdoors. Also as a keen tramper over many of our bush walks, I have developed a deep respect for the stillness and tranquility of the forest. It disturbs me to witness pollution of an ever increasing scale. The spoiling of our unique and beautiful environment is our nation’s greatest shame. My Art Works are a testament to the diversity of our flora and fauna, and with my books and as an artist illustrator, I hope to raise an awareness of our uniqueness and hopefully encourage discussion on how we can preserve what we have left for future generations to enjoy.