My Artistic Practice ...

An Intuitive and Physical Process

My paintings evolve through an intuitive and highly physical process. I rarely begin with a completely predetermined outcome. Instead, I allow the painting to develop through layers of colour, texture and

material, responding to what is happening on the canvas as I work.

I predominantly work with acrylic paint, ink, plaster, paper, sand, wood, polymers and oil pastels, often combining unexpected materials to create physical depth and complexity. My expressive palette-knife technique is central to my practice. I scrape, drag, carve, layer and build the surface, allowing marks and textures to remain visible rather than concealing the process beneath a perfectly finished surface.

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I am fascinated by what happens when materials interact. Plaster can create structure, ink can introduce movement and unpredictability, paper and natural materials can add physical dimension, while layers of paint and oil pastel bring colour, depth and contrast. These materials become part of the language of the painting rather than simply supporting the image.

Exploring Resin

More recently, I have begun exploring resin as an additional element within my practice. Resin has opened up another way of working with light, depth, transparency and surface.

I am particularly interested in how resin can interact with the heavily textured surfaces I create, creating a contrast between the raw, tactile quality of built-up materials and the smooth, reflective qualities of the resin. It can appear to hold layers beneath the surface; alter the way light moves across the work and create a sense of depth that changes depending on how the painting is viewed.

My exploration of resin is still evolving, and that experimentation is an important part of my practice. I am interested in discovering how far I can push the relationship between texture, transparency, reflection and three-dimensional surface without losing the spontaneity that is fundamental to my work.

Landscape, Emotion and Abstraction

Landscape remains a constant thread throughout my work, but the meaning behind a painting can extend well beyond the physical environment that inspired it.

I am particularly drawn to contrasts such as rugged and delicate, weathered earth and open space, erosion and growth, stillness and movement. These tensions often find their way into my compositions through fractured surfaces, sweeping marks, layered forms and changing colour.

At times, my work moves away from landscape altogether and becomes more introspective. The Silent Ledger series explores themes of identity, time and the emotional weight we carry. Through abstracted figures, layered surfaces and expressive mark-making, the series considers the experiences, memories and invisible burdens that become part of who we are.

These shifts between landscape and more conceptual work are an important part of my practice. I do not want to be confined to a single visual language. I am interested in allowing ideas, materials and emotions to determine where the work needs to go.

The Importance of Texture

Texture has become one of the defining characteristics of my work.

I want my paintings to be experienced not only visually, but physically. Raised surfaces, ridges, fractures, scraped passages and layers invite the viewer to look more closely. From a distance, a painting may appear as a unified abstract landscape; closer inspection reveals details, materials and marks that may not initially be noticed.

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There is something about the imperfections created through this process that I find particularly beautiful. A scraped line, an unexpected mark, a fragment of paper or a variation in the surface can become an important part of the final work.

I embrace these moments rather than trying to make every element perfect. They are evidence of the physical journey the painting has taken.

Working on a Larger Scale

I have always been drawn to large-scale painting. There is a sense of freedom that comes with a larger canvas as there is ample  space for movement, gesture, texture and ideas to expand.

                                              The Australian landscape itself often feels enormous, and I find that larger works can better                                                    communicate that sense of scale, openness and presence. They allow the viewer to step into                                                  the work rather than simply observe it.

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                                             As my practice continues to evolve, I am increasingly interested in creating larger works that combine my heavily textured palette-knife technique with mixed media and my emerging exploration of resin.