I’m an illustrative artist with a distinct visual language characterised by confident lines and zones of divergent colours to create multiple areas of vibrant symbolism.
Intentionally cluttered, contradictory and complex—my compositions capture the chaos of the modern world, through deconstruction and rearrangement of the internal and external and the animate and inanimate.
My style and subject matter draw on my recent studies in graphic design and illustration, inspired particularly by logo + product design. My work features familiar objects that may have personal, environmental or historical significance, positioned to create new contexts to communicate ideas.
I have a deep concern over our culture of overconsumption and excess waste, which stems from my background as a material scientist. This also influences my material choices as both artist and consumer. As I’m creating, I’m reflecting on the embodied energy of the products I’m drawing, their place on the page and in our society.
In one way, I’m forcing nature and technology close together again, to prompt viewers to think about the disconnection we have from the things we consume. Yet my art features familiar items that have permeated our lives, asking viewers to consider the role of each.
Are they a luxury or necessity? The sheer volume of paraphernalia conveys a sense of chaos and turmoil, while meaningful objects highlight our personal connection to the things in our lives.
Could the organs highlight the internal struggles we face in finding balance between need, want, consumption and excess?
Does seeing just a portion of our many objects on display prompt a more conscious approach to consumerism? After all, the natural world is getting smaller all the time. How will nature grow and adapt around all our stuff?
“We’re very disconnected from what we consume. So, because of the widening degrees of separation between the consumer and the consumed we no longer have any real appreciation for the embodied energy, the embodied destruction, the embodied suffering that goes into every stage of the supply chain in the things we buy.” — Mark Boyle
My earlier work focused on deconstructing human forms to explore my internal conflict, but has since evolved beyond my personal story to include the exterior realm.
Now it is intentionally symbolic, encouraging viewers to explore their own interpretation within each piece. I believe illustration is a unique visual language that can help us articulate and explore complex issues. It gives me a way to connect to and inspire others with vibrancy and creativity.
There is also solace in the mindful process of creating. It uplifts me and allows me to quell my restless mind; pressing me to persevere when things become bleak. By deconstructing and rearranging the intrinsic and mundane, my artistic practice helps others to explore the issues of our time. It encourages them to think critically and creatively about environmental solutions, while experiencing the elation imbued within the works.