I am a surrealist artist primarily using acrylic and oil paint to depict the strange narratives of unreal worlds. Inspired by motifs of time and childhood, I try to create worlds that sit on the cusp between dreams and nightmares, exploring the fine line between both. Fascinated by viewers responses to the narratives and the various explanations for the work, I attempt to capture a sense of nonsense in my paintings, leaving a scattering of clues for the viewer to piece together in whichever way they decide.
Most of my inspiration comes from found photographs, postcards, and objects. I find the process of working with these exciting as the element of chance in their discovery feels as though I am collecting pieces of a forgotten story. Time as a concept is something that inspires a lot of my work, and I am intrigued, particularly in the case of older found photographs, in capturing the strangeness that comes from these images depicting an era that no longer exists. Combining vintage postcards with modern everyday objects, my art situates itself outside of a particular time, furthering a sense of the uncanny.
With found objects being so important to my work, I often try to make my art feel the same, looking at the canvas as an object itself rather than just simply a space for my paintings. I am particularly fond of found imagery depicting the everyday as I enjoy twisting this mundanity into a strange new context, pushing the limits of familiarity, and looking at reality through the lens of childlike imagination. Colour also has key influence on my practice, as I am interested in exploring how different colour combinations can alter the atmosphere of a painting, working as a story element itself. I enjoy using a lot of vibrancy in colour as it creates a playfulness that helps ground the work as simultaneously fun and distorted from reality. I hope that my work can grant the viewer access to their own childlike curiosity, and inspire imagination for the mundane.
CV
Education:
BA Fine Art (Hons) with integrated Foundation year, Bath Spa University, School of Art and Design, 2020-2024
Exhibitions:
2024- Bath Spa Undergraduate Degree show
2024-POTLUCK, 44AD Artspace, Bath (group show)
2023- When Worlds Merge: Material culture and the Spirit, Emmanuel Church, Bath
2022- Windows to Weird Worlds, Linear Park, Bath