The Light
​As you can see from the titles, the theme of light really dominated the paintings in this body of work. This was an experimental year for me, as I trialled going back to canvas after a couple of years of painting exclusively on paper.
Light, Flight
Oil on Canvas, 190 x 150 cm, 2019
​I recently exhibited this painting at a solo exhibition and it was by far my most popular painting. Visitors enjoyed spending a lot of time in contemplation with it. Being so large, it has a dramatic impact, yet there is a peaceful energy to the painting. People repeatedly said it made them feel good! Please note, the background is white - the photo came out with a slightly blue tinge but it is actually white. This painting is inspired by my motivation to seek higher spiritually and to be enlightened, while acknowledging that in life one also needs to be held by those around them. Although I spent many hours discerning how to proceed with this painting in the process of making it, in the end it seemed to paint itself. I love that!
Where The Light Gets In
Oil on Canvas, 150 x 120 cm, 2019
This painting is inspired by the moment that comes when you think all is heavy and dark and perhaps a bit lost, and then you experience light from an unexpected source. It could be that the dark clouds have parted to reveal light that was there all along or it could be that the nature of light is to persist in finding the crack where it can illuminate an otherwise overcast space. This is all metaphor for life experiences and I hope this painting can reference those feelings wordlessly and with more grace than my description! Certainly, when I exhibited it, the viewers were moved by its presence and gentle yet powerful energy.
When Light Falls Like Rain
Oil on Paper, 150 x 130 cm, 2019
This painting was very much inspired by music and the way in which music can be a gateway to the soul. I am interested in the way that classical music can elevate our being wordlessly, yet universally. I intentionally left the centre of the painting untouched and allowed the paint to frame it in such a way as to draw the viewer in, almost like being led in a dance, shedding layers of thought until only the moment is left. This painting took a long time to reach it's conclusion and I came back to it several times over the period of about a year. I feel that every session I invested in it has paid off, whether they were hours spent painting or meditating on the composition and journey of the piece.