I am an escape artist.
My work quietens the noise of an overwhelming world, offering viewers a brief respite from the multitude of daily impositions on our freedom.
With my ethereal, often imagined landscapes — dreamscapes, if you will — I do not deny the chaos of the human state but reveal the deeper equilibrium that exists despite it.
It is often said that art must challenge the status quo, highlight injustice, unsettle the viewer, propel them to action, and ultimately evoke change. All this is true, and very necessary.
But I believe there is also a place for art that celebrates innocence, validates the quiet, and invites introspection. Both creating and reflecting on this type of art are tools towards establishing balance and inner calm. That is why I create.
Moreover, my painting practice is an act of gratitude that reminds me to live with eyes and a heart that are open to the good.
I find myself constantly drawn to the interplay between light and dark, and the power of suggestion. Illusions, reflected light, and deep shadows are the result. With each piece, I invite the viewer to engage with their own intimate narrative.
My current body of work consists of expansive vistas and moody skyscapes, rendered predominantly in oils and cold wax. The golden thread running through my work is its atmospheric nature.
I grew up in the 80s in Durbanville, near Cape Town, right at the tip of the African continent.
As a trained chef and doctor of linguistics turned artist, I have always enjoyed creating something from nothing — be it with food, words, or paint.
Anxiety being an old life partner of mine, my sense of overwhelm (both mental and physical) escalated during the recent pandemic, as for so many other highly sensitive persons around the world. A fortuitous result of the enforced lockdown, however, was that I discovered the full potential of the physical act of creating to induce a calm, meditative state, both in the creator and in the viewer.
Today, painting is a daily practice that guides me to being fully immersed in the simplicity of the present.