Artists

Artist Statement 2025

Striations and Secretions

My objective is to produce works that are primarily retinal and tactile in appeal. I work with corrugated card, making simple geometric constructions that are hardened with shellac, then overlaid with plaster and paint to activate and enhance surface interest. This results in a somewhat alchemic transformation where the soft base material acquires hardened metallic like qualities.

‘Striations and Secretions’ is a narrative representation of work produced last year where I continued to explore and extend ideas in various directions, while adhering to a geometric logic determined by the processes and materials involved.

Bio

I was born and educated in Christchurch, graduating in Sculpture at Illam School Of Fine Arts in 1975.

In the late 70s and 80s I worked on various multimedia, installation and performance projects in Christchurch, Auckland and London.

“Presence of Approach” light installation, – Auckland City Gallery 1978

“Laser Walk” performance, – Hansells Sculpture Awards, 1979

“Arrow over Water” installation performance, – Epsom Show Grounds L pavilion, 1980

“Fossil Postmortem” performance and installation, – Air Gallery, London 1984

“Eclipse” installation –  ANZART Auckland 1985

‘Diverse Strategies”  installation – COCA Christchurch 1988.   

In 1986, I returned to Christchurch after five years in London and took up a position teaching art at Hagley Community College.

As I became increasingly preoccupied with teaching and family priorities, I found I no longer had the time or energy to continue with large scale art projects.

Teaching Design and Photography led to an interest in photoshop and related digital processes, and over time I accumulated a substantial body of work in digital print media. This is ongoing, and has led to my current studio work, where I use digital drawing to generate ideas for larger painted works.

I retired from teaching in 2020, and set up a home studio in order to pursue a more consistent practice; investigating and developing ideas through sustained application.

My current studio works sit somewhere between sculpture and painting involving abstract  constructions where the emphasis is on materiality and process, rather than sign and reference.

Working primarily with corrugated card, I make geometric constructions that are hardened with shellac, then overlayed with plaster and paint to activate and enhance surface interest. This results in a somewhat alchemic transformation where the soft base material, acquires hardened metallic like qualities.