MY STYLE & INFLUENCES
My work has been described by some as having an honest yet ethereal quality, with something of a retro or bohemian feel to it.
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It can be hard to objectively define one's own work, to categorise or label it as one particular style or another; especially when art is a fluid and ever-changing expression of thought and emotion.
That said, I have probably been influenced most by Pop Art and Photo-realism, so perhaps the style of my work exists somewhere between the two.... somewhere within the realms of Bohemian Pop Art.
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I mainly focus on the human form, portraiture, and nature. I want to celebrate beauty in the every day, in the faces of people, the places I have been, and the objects around me; but I feel that some of the underlying values that I want to communicate through my work are those of inner peace, connection with one's soul, with nature, and the universe...and of course music!
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I always paint to music and try to let it guide me as I work. Its quite meditative.
I think that music is such a powerful force of connection and self-expression. It has the power to unite people and evoke such powerful and beautiful emotion within us; and to take us back to a moment, a place, a feeling. I hope that my art does the same.
Some of the pieces that I have enjoyed painting the most have been based on photographs of people I have met at festivals, ambient scenes from night clubs and music venues, musicians that have inspired me, or images that I feel represent euphoria. There is nothing better than losing yourself to music in a crowd of people who are all there for the exact same reason; to have fun, to enjoy moving their body, to express themselves authentically, and to embrace the feeling of complete euphoria. One thing I always find very special is when you look across the dance floor and make eye contact with a complete stranger, and for that split moment as you beam a brilliant smile back at each other there is a shared appreciation, an unspoken acknowledgement of mutual acceptance; a bond that transcends age, gender, race and time itself. That is what I aim to communicate through my work.
The Heart Gallery @ Deevstock Festival
Since 2021 I have been a crew member on the Creative Team for a micro non-profit music and arts festival named Deevstock. It's held every year in the glorious Malvern hills in Worcestershire, UK. As well as creating interesting new decor and immersive experiences for the event, I am also in charge of managing and curating art work for The Heart Gallery located within the chill-out dome.
The Heart Gallery is a non-profit gallery space, aimed at providing new and emerging artists and crafts people within the Deevstock community a platform to exhibit their work, and hopefully the confidence to move their art career forward.
Some of our artists had never exhibited their work before, so it was really nice to be able to offer some tips and advice that I had picked up over the years, and then to hear back from them about how much the experience encouraged and inspired them to go out into the world and carve out a space for themselves and their art.
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I think that's the think about art... what makes it so special. It's a way of expressing your passions, your fears, the deepest realms of your soul. It's a tool for deep emotional connection, and just like music, the right piece can sing to someone.
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People often talk about the importance of "finding your tribe" and I think that's what we have created here. Its an inclusive and compassionate community where everyone supports, encourages and celebrates creativity and freedom of expression. I hope that in the future we can continue to grow the Heart Gallery experience to include workshops to share our knowledge and techniques, both at the festival and throughout the rest of the year.
Media & technique
I instantly fell in love with oil paint when I first picked it up at around the age of 7 or 8, and although I have enjoyed learning to express myself in many other media over the years, I always come back to them.
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Rich in pigment, with a thick, buttery consistency; oil paint can be applied indulgently to create texture, or thinned down with turpentine or white spirit to create more of a wash or to get that perfect fluid line of detail. Oil-based mediums can also be added to increase translucency with a thick, sticky syrup-like quality, or impasto or cold wax added to create texture. Depending on how oily the paint is, or what medium has been mixed with it, it can sometimes take up to 4 days to dry allowing time to step away and return later with a fresh perspective and continue to perfect and blend the colours. You can use a brush, apply it decadently with a palette knife and scrape back through some of the layers to reveal breathtaking detail beneath. The possibilities are endless!
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Although oil paint is by far my favourite media, I would generally describe myself as a mixed-media artist. I love trying different techniques and expressing myself through a range of materials such as pyrography (wood burning) carving and textiles; to name but a few. I often embellish my oil paintings with sequins and beads that I sew onto the canvas, which add an extra dimension of interest as they glint and glitter in the light and catch the eye. Sometimes I experiment with texture and pattern by layering tissue, origami papers, material, ribbon, leather, and foam; or I may build sections of the canvas up with plaster before painting on top. I think my main obsession however, is with contrasting colours.
I love using bright, exaggerated colours and creating contrast between delicate detailed work and bold, expressive brush strokes. The more bold and vivid the better!
Past Exhibitions & Fairs
Cosmic Exhibition @ Holy Art Gallery - Dec 2023
New Artist Fair @ Truman Brewery - Sept 2022
Heart Gallery @ Deevstock festival - 2022
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New Artist Fair @Truman Brewery - 2016
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Micro Gallery @ Deevstock festival - 2016
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Micro Art Exhibition with Clarkshaw's Micro-Brewery - 2016
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SE Art Trail - 2015
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Reflections and Origins Exhibition @ Meniere Gallery - 2014
