I studied illustration at the Swansea Institute from 1998-2001 and since then my focus has gradually moved towards work that is less explicit in its intent. I tend to work mostly with pencil and acrylic paint in a pictorial style that I suppose is slowly becoming more abstract and/or surreal with time. I find that I’m comfortable whenever I can create an image that overwhelms me with its atmosphere and I’m constantly striving towards perfecting the ways I can create these moods, whether through colour, light, repetition of marks or ideas, or via the application of the media I’m using. As my confidence and skill improves, I hope to create larger and larger work with the intention of working towards this same goal of an overwhelming experience when standing in front of it.
I’m drawn to the human condition and specifically how our mortality and knowledge of it shapes our existence. I’m constantly amazed by what we’re capable of doing to each other and to nature through love on the one hand and fear on the other and by the systems of thought we create to justify these things and find myself thinking about these contradictions regularly. This means my work is often dark and possibly pessimistic but I also include hope wherever I see it. I hope to not ever preach which is why I am consciously moving away from an illustrative mindset.
I exhibited two drawings at the Elysium + Clara Hatton gallery-led From Here and There show in 2014 and am creating my current work with future exhibition in mind.