ARTIST STATEMENT
Australian – a country of unpredictable extremes – the wide landscape purged of an age of plenty; a cleanse of Death as Drought visits. Decay leaves skeletal remains discarded along the roadside like carrion. Weathered, one is gifted a second life – a droplet falls. The drought ends. Carcass turned to canvas, revitalised by blessed rain, spattered with life. However, as the cycle of life demands, decay must return to the land of the unforgiving extremes. Bequeathed a third and final life - transformed into a ‘useful’ object. But disjointed colours remain, a reminder of the possibilities of rebirth that are often discarded.
ARTWORK PROCESS
Rather than focusing on the traditional techniques of art such as painting and drawing I made it secondary to the sculptural aspect. I focussed on rebirth and sentimentality through effort as well as time. The nailing, gluing, collecting and sorting; my entire process enhanced the meaning of my work. What was once useful was discarded, I gave it a second purpose of beauty for beauty’s sake. Then like the society we like in demands I gave it a purpose of practicality once more – though the image I painstakingly composed became disjointed or simply discarded.
