In 2011 – 2014, I undertook a Masters of Art. The pieces you see above are from the exhibition of my MA work. Here is the photo book that I created to go with it.
Art to me is an expression of wonder, an exploration of juxtapositions, interactions, investigations, curiosity.
I love patterns, in particular underlying patterns (often irregular) – in chaos, in growth, in texture, in topography (and topology), in music, in rhythms (visual, aural, corporeal, natural), in language, in maths, in nature.
In connections – the whole fabric of life, the seen, the unseen, the unconscious, neural pathways, Deep Space, Deep Time, fundamental physics, energy, how everything works together whether we know and acknowledge it or not.
Such a thirst and curiosity can lead to paralysis – there’s just so much to learn, to experience – but art gives a focus.
Art is multi-faceted, multi-layered. To me, it is so much more than the eye can see. Texture is vitally important to me. Hence the Growth Forms and Strata Walls. Geology (Deep Time) and formations in caves create phantasmagorical shapes and textures caused by slow continuous accumulations of dissolved minerals and salts. This process fired my imagination to create forms that could be recognisable from their inspiration but could also be so much more, depending on the life experience of the viewer. My MA studies showed me how important it is for each individual viewer to create their own connections, their own stories, rather than be told what to see.
And to be able to touch. To connect on the tangible level – not purely intellectual and visual, but tactile as well, to allow the art to be physically experienced. Humans crave touch. Textiles need to be touched. It’s not a hands-off process, so to me these pieces demand a physical interaction to be fully expressed and understood in the body and spirit, not just the brain.
Art is my soul. Weave is my main medium. Structure, technique, texture, colour, all are part of the toolkit to allow me to express what is in my soul. Art challenges me on every level. The idea must be worked through, solutions found and new techniques learned if required. It is not flippant. It doesn’t have to be deep (although it often is) but it must have a resonance deep in my being. It has to be nurtured, cajoled, encouraged, and finally born, even if it takes years to mature. Those connections are there, waiting for right moment, the unexpected interaction, whether from a conversation, a book, a photo, a piece of music, a sudden view, a poem, a flower, a waterfall, a stalactite.
Art is a song in weave. I have to sing it, even if no-one hears it.