An Australian collector
of international art over the past 25 years, now painting professionally full
time for the past 18 months. A member of the Eramboo Artist Environment in the
northern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Using
simple shapes and compositions I hope to re-express both mundane and complex
concepts and create images that will have viewers linger a little longer to
explore and discover their own feelings and interpretations.
I measure success by the
volume and diversity of debate and discussion around my work, and by how these
activities can expand the works’ relevance and consequence.
My early achievements
under have been in abstract, portraiture and landscape formats.
Art
Recognition
2018 - Winner Clyde Oakley Memorial Prize (NSW -
Gulgong Arts Council)
2020 - Finalist Collie Art Prize (WA)
2020 - Finalist Southern Buoys Studio Portrait
Prize (VIC)
2020 - Finalist (2 works)
FACE Unframed Exhibition (ACT - Belconnen Arts Centre).
2020 - Finalist in Royal
Queensland Art Society’s initial on-line Exhibition
2020
- Finalist (2 works) Royal
Queensland Art Society “Abstraction 2020” Exhibition
2020 - Finalist Lethbridge Small Scale Art Award
(QLD)
2020 - On-Line Finalist Drummoyne Art Society Art
Award (NSW)
2020 - Finalist Art Room Gallery “Nature” theme. (USA)
2020 - Finalist (2 works) Prisma Art Prize (ITALY)
Charity
Leadership
Seniors Rights Service (Older
persons legal advocacy)
Non-executive board director.
Member of the board’s finance
and risk sub-committee.
Proposed
Chair of the board’s marketing and fundraising sub-committee.
Dragons Abreast Australia (Breast cancer
support)
Non-executive board director.
Odyssey House NSW (Addiction
rehabilitation)
Member of the board’s fundraising
and marketing sub-committee.
Artist statement about your practice
My practice is relatively embryonic but only in terms of the
18 months during which I have been developing my work. It is however informed
by 20 years of art collection together with long conversations with gallerists
and artists I collect and meet or follow.
I trained as a draftsman, land surveyor and engineer, and the
derived skills and knowledge sometimes frames my approach and style. Designing urban infrastructure and close working partnerships
with architects and other creative professionals has helped me to freely explore
alternate concepts and solutions.
My output is an imbalanced combination of “dreams and
themes” influenced by deep curiosity and often ignoring conventional thinking. I juxtapose different materials and colours
to experiment and learn.
I am attracted to representing images in ways that may be
called weird, surreal or abstract, and whilst this can lead to responses of
indifference from audiences it can sometimes lead to fascinating conversations
between viewers with vastly different backgrounds and cultures. Its these
discussions that drive me to produce new challenging images.
I have used almost complete paintings as new bases to create
works of more interest or impact. My curiosity allows me to deviate and modify
with a sense of adventure.
I use both acrylic and enamel with the latter sometimes in
spray form. I intertwine pen ink and pencil where this adds detail, clarity or
another layer of viewer speculation. I work with canvas, board and different
types of paper and usually work on 3 or 4 works at the same time.
