Statement From The Artist
As an artist I would describe myself as a classically influenced contemporary artist. I also draw a lot of my inspiration from ancient Chinese Philosophy , more the ideas behind traditional oriental painting than the actual painting itself.
In recent years my focus has increasingly become centred on an exploration of the human figure. Balancing the muted subtle tones of the human flesh with at times strikingly colorful drawing surfaces . My approach in all my work is to first explore “what it feels like “ then “what it looks like”. In the first stage my drawings are completely abstract. It is only the latter stage, they become more structured, representational pieces.
I set out with the idea of creating this yin yang contrast between abstraction and figuration, spirit and structure, emotion and intellect. My other priority is the drawing surface. Its colour, scale, texture, shape and how it communicates with differing media and the pre-planned length of time given to complete the drawing. I draw my influences just as much from abstact expressionism as from representational artists such as Degas Bonnard and Mondigliani. In my larger works I have at times tended to experiment with less conventional media such as coffee, saffron, paprika and onion skin creating what I call my “Rivers of Light” series. The line drawing of the figure meanders seemingly defiantly in and out of the transparent darkness created by the coffee and spice wash. Also some pastel has been applied earlier. More recently I have taken to producing my own studio made papers formed from mixtures of other papers largely from China with the right fibers. This providing me with an ultimate, command of the drawing surface, colour, texture, shape all being part of an essential equasion.
I do believe we have two different parts to our brain (1) the emotional and spiritual and (2) the intelligent and structural. My aim or challenge so to express myself with both of these sides simultaneously – to go beyond the drawing and make pieces of art with conscious emphasis and de-emphasis , points of impact, points of subtlety, good pictorial design and above all meaning what I say Intelligently and honestly.
I graduated from among other establishments The British School in Rome, Italy, China Beijing's Central Academy of Art and London's Byam Shaw School of Art. I exhibit regularly with a number of central London art galleries as well as recently being featured in six national art fairs both inside and outside London.