Once, 2016

 

 

I am fascinated by the creative process.  I believe that art is play and play is an essential vehicle of learning and exploration for all ages.  There is a point in our development that we are taught we are too old to play and life loses its magic and becomes ever more grey and grown up.  If my work can bring a bit of childhood innocence and wonder back into the world, then I feel that I have accomplished something worthwhile.  In my own process, I allow the material to find its form organically and watch with curiosity as the work develops, usually into a character with its own unique personality.  I believe that making art in this way can bring forth subconscious ideas and emotions and my work proves this to me constantly.  

 

There are themes that have remained consistent throughout my practice and one of these is the importance of change.  I believe that nothing in life is ever perfect or permanent and that change is the only constant.  I strive to produce nonpermanent art that communicates the importance of experiencing life in the moment.  The time spent in this residency was for me a time to explore non permanence in a particularly permanent material.  I used this opportunity to paint with clay on the walls to produce narrative environments for my characters to exist for the duration of a show and this exhibition showcases the final result.