Artist Statement

My objective is to keep the viewer engaged and thinking. There is no conscious attempt to create ‘pretty’, distortion or exaggeration would be the preferred result but in the painting of flowers, well, they are what they are. I paint with an exuberant use of colour, sometimes employing texture through paint or mixed media. My style is expressionist, abstract and non-objective. My subject matter often results from or includes a recent event or feeling. Some paintings are finished within one continuous period while others require many visits often resulting in new approaches or complete reinvention.

There are paintings that absolutely say when they are finished and even suggest a title. As long as a painting remains with me there is always the possibility that I may at some point decided to make changes. Once set up with easel and paint table I can paint for days and weeks on end. When I pack up my studio to move to another location it can often take a long while to get going again. I am constantly thinking of what will be the next project and this is where the workshop classes fit in as they force me to get on with it and I come away eager to continue. I annually take workshops or studio classes with my most favourite instructors as much for their steadfast inspiration and encouragement as for the students they attract who bring with them such good vibes and energy. Venturing into the class of a new instructor is quite daunting, challenging and invigorating. The idea is to keep pushing one’s own boundaries and in turn those of the viewer.