Artist's statement

I see the face as a landscape of a person's life and I set out to explore and convey this in my work.  Many of my paintings are large as I like to get up close to the face and find out what it is telling me - the emotions the face expresses and the strengths and vulnerabilities of the person behind it.

My work is intuitive and physical, with textured layers that create a personal communication. I am fascinated with how the face reflects and exudes colour, varies in tone and texture and is a synthesis of colours, tones, lines, marks, layers, folds and abstract shapes.  From a distance my paintings appear representational but close up the viewer can explore the application of texture and paint that build the painting.

This group of paintings is titled "Diverse Identities."  I am interested in what makes us individually different.  Each of us have our own qualities that make us unique. These qualitiies may be race, gender, ethnicity, age, disability and more.  I see diversity as inseparable from identity.

Each painting is intended to be a celebration of people in my community.  They are a visual expression of my own life experience; a diverse group with commonalities, differences and a range of identities.