A B O U T T H E A R T W O R K
"I love to paint my animals and landscapes in a traditional style, to emphasise their natural and simple beauty. In my paintings of people (mainly self-portraits) however, I differ slightly from tradition. These works are more personal, as I explore my feelings of insecurity. They arise when ideas of "beauty" are directed at the self, and so I explore the troubles of how one sees themselves, and how they are seen by others. My still life paintings are also personal, as I paint the contents of my pockets over a week, I highlight my dependency on smoking tobacco. I would paint the lighters as close to a photograph as possible, to clearly show, and perhaps even beautify, a habit which seems to be in opposition to beauty altogether.
On a lighter note! My new ink portraits feature my most respected artists, composers, psychologists and philosophers; all whom have inspired me with their powerful words, music and art. To create a series in honour of their contributions to humanity has been a pleasure, and the series will likely keep growing."
