About my work

Building on a body of work spanning 40 years I am driven by the impact of climate change within both Australia and New Zealand.

I use oil on canvas, collage, thread and more recently oil and cold wax on board to create textures that capture the contrasts of chaotic undergrowth, ocean horizons, through to distant mountains.

These mediums and the use of canvas and board enables me to explore the contrast and texture to illustrate a broad range of landscapes and environments.

As a self-taught artist I have developed use of a spontaneous application of paint and mediums with my fingers, spatulas, rollers and material. I remove paint and rework areas in response to patterns that I become aware of. As a works develops, I focus on the use of small areas of colour to provide depth and scale. I endeavour to relay the variations of colour, light and depth to build the layers found in all landscapes.

My intention is to illustrate our connectedness to the world we live in and our responsibility for the impact we have on resource depletion, consumerism and climate change. Australia is a country of extremes (of droughts and floods) while New Zealand appears to provide a counterpoint to a country of seemingly lush beauty.

In reality the ever-present threat of fire, coastal erosion and the loss of native vegetation affects both my “homes”. There is a surprising degree of commonality in my landscapes, many of which are indistinguishable in regard to their country of origin, in this a fragile world.

My reflections on how we interact with our environments has shaped both my politics and my art. I am privileged to have been exposed to a variety of locations and environments which continue to add new dimensions, and which weave themselves into my body of work.