Artist Articles - Artist Biographies
The way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected.
Recently my practice has been concerned with highlighting the lack of perfection in a society that believes in the elusive ‘happily ever after’ concept. Fairy tale describes to us, a happiness that is completely dependent on the existence of Prince Charming. It is this man that you will fall head over heels in love with as he rescues you from a fire-breathing dragon, whisks you off your feet onto his beautiful white horse and makes you his Princess in an enchanted kingdom. However, our individuality hinders us in any relationship and perhaps human beings, as unromantic as it may seem, were designed to survive solo? Love can be short-lived - a mere interruption.
It is this ‘interruption’ which provides the basis for my most recent series of paintings. The idea of being completely connected to and surrounded by another human being. A pairing that allows you to fall victim to your own human nature, where you look into your ‘magic mirror’ and identify yourself as both a ‘goodie’ and a ‘baddie’. Flaw and corruption is in our make-up and we are as destructive as we are constructive, therefore we build relationships yet destroy them for impact, effect or response. My paintings primarily describe the positives, the idea of an intense feeling of deep affection for another individual, an exploration/experience of another person. I purposely use colour to represent both the idea of beauty and threat as well as peace and hardships. Love and hate play an unjustified role in our everyday thoughts and despite them being of opposite extremes it is our immaturity and naivety that forces us to attach these two words/feelings so closely to people/objects/places/experiences.
We naively embrace the idea of ‘forever and ever’ in relation to a temporary affair. Love is impermanent, yet our expectations are not. My work captures a moment where love could exist; a situation that is easily relatable.
Relationships are fragile, delicate things and this softness is magnified in the gentility of each finished canvas. Despite the description of an intimacy that exists only in the presence of two people, my work is also a comment on what is not portrayed to the viewer.
A secret.