Artist Statement:
I have been looking at landscapes and seascapes in relation to romanticism, because they used nature as a vehicle for intense emotion. In England, the Romantic artists rebelled against the Industrial Revolution, which I feel is mirrored in my anger against deforestation occurring throughout the world, and is still being fought by many organizations and individuals. Tree felling is taking place in the Forest of Dean, particularly in the forest around my home, destroying wildlife and making it difficult to enjoy the outdoors because of the ruination of the tracks with large machine wheels. The feeling of physically being in these places, and seeing the remnants of the work carried out, stir up emotions while I am running in these difficult conditions combining emotion with physicality. This is the inspiration behind the emotion in my work. I am influenced by the texture and meaning in Anselm Kiefer’s work, and the colour palette and composition of JWM Turner’s work. This has lead to me starting to walk the line between sculpture and painting. Encouraging the audience to touch the finished pieces are key to the experience of my work. Using various senses in my work has been an underlying theme in many of my university artistic creations. I have played with the senses, or the lack thereof, because of my hearing impairment, representing them in my work to heighten each one. Hearing is one sense which I have avoided. I feel that, on a technical level, a sound piece would lack various elements because of this impairment. I am beginning to refine my sculptural skills and become less literal when it comes to representing landscapes, and intend to mirror this abstraction in my painting, although this will need further exploration.
Education:
Royal Forest of Dean College- Foundation Diploma
University of Gloucestershire- Fine Art BA HONs
Exhibitions include:
Odyssey Art Bridge Touring Exhibition-
Guildhall Gloucester: 2nd May - 16th May 2017
GloucesterCathedral, Gloucester (dates to be confirmed )
The Wilson Gallery, Cheltenham: 21st January – 5th March 2017
The Roses, Tewkesbury: 19th December 2016 – 18th January 2017
Hardwick Gallery, Cheltenham: 7th – 25th November 2016
St Nicholas Church, Gloucester: 28th September 2016 – 7th October
University Exhibitions-
Coalesce Free Range Shows at The Old Truman Brewery, London.
Coalesce Gloucestershire University final degree show at Hardwick Studios, Cheltenham.
Concurrent Interim Show at Hardwick Gallery, Cheltenham.