Artist statement
IT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ME AND THE PAINTING THAT KEEPS ME COMING BACK FOR MORE......
An artist based in the West Midlands, UK, I am interested in what emerges from being present and open to possibilities, free from expectation.
I work as a psychotherapist (soon to retire) and started painting for the first time at the age of 64. I am dedicated to both of these pursuits and truly grateful for them.
Process is everything. I may start with a general idea of landscape or seascape for example and, as I put down marks or colour, gradually a painting begins to emerge. This emergence comes from being intimately involved with the process itself, a kind of dialogue with the painting and a meeting of inner and outer landscape. The emotions I feel during the process are part of what makes it worthwhile for me. I listen to music while I am painting and this becomes part of the whole thing in some way. I discovered Max Richter at the same time as I discovered painting and so his music has a special resonance.
By just putting paint down and experimenting, I find out what happens and in this way my paintings have developed.
I learn as I go and this learning feeds back into the process. Intention comes in as the painting develops when I attend more closely to composition, colour, values, harmony etc. I describe my style as abstract-representational. Emotional resonance, atmosphere and originality are key.
I like to look at a wide variety of art and read about other artists and art in general.
As a psychotherapist I am also interested in art as projection and in the potential holding and mirroring functions of art from the perspective of both artist and viewer.
And finally, returning to the relationship between me and the painting. There is something deeper going on here and far bigger than either me or the painting. In the space between the two is the profound and the wordless which I have to honour here. There is nothing more important to me than this.