I would describe my artwork, visually, as something that can be considered as bright or dark, depending on how you look at it. Straight on you may just see the colours, but the actual mood will be for you to discover on your own. My subject matter is the flower and the beach. The titles of these series are:
1: The Well Socialized Gardener
The technical elements most obvious in my work are negative space, and the breaking up of different atmospheres to create dynamic compositions. My work takes the form of acrylic paint on canvas. I use a few different kinds of medium to achieve different effects be it through opacity, blending, or texture development. When it comes to the actual size of the canvas, it really varies from piece to piece, but square is my favourite format. Mapping my work out with the aid of painters tape as well with pencil helps me achieve balance within the composition. I use transparency techniques to transfer some of my imagery, as realism and the genuine portrayal of the natural world is important to me. as well. Studies in smaller formats of the idea are done first to firmly distinguish my composition and find areas of interest and problems.
The cultural relevance behind the 'flower' as well as the 'beach' are what inspires me to paint. I understand the complexity and infinite variety of the flower and I feel the replenishing effects of the beach. I am inspired by the work of artists like Pierre Bonnard for his ability to create a psychological atmosphere. I also derive inspiration from Monet's particular impressionist techniques, and Van Gogh's texture. The emotions I am representing in my beach landscapes are abstract memories of my coastal observances. They reflect psychological and sentimental situations like solitude and the disconnect I feel from society. The emotions from my floral works are also coming from a place of solitude and portray the softness and the infinitely feminine complexities that exist within us. The use of the frame represents a sense of control that I wish to have of these complex emotions.
What I have learned over the last few years is a series of techniques and processes that shaped me into the artist that I have become today. I now have a clear vision of my subject matter that I wish to portray, with a solid understanding of what moves me as a modern painter. The flower and the beach.