I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands. After building an unusual letterbox and with some encouragement from a close friend I decided to enter some of my sculptural creations into open art exhibitions. The first exhibition in 2013 fuelled a passion that has been hard to slow down.
My sculptural pieces are mainly constructed out of recycled found objects. I am always scoping out unusual or common interesting everyday items. This initial interest has continued in my search for more creative reconfigurations of recyclable objects. My subconscious starting this engine in my mind, thinking and exploring for the compositions that these elements could become.
Channelling this development as an artist has gone into areas where the relationship between what we do as humans, finds relevance in the impact that we have on our fragile surroundings. There’s great satisfaction and an organic feeling about relieving the earth of potential waste.
My metal wall canvases have renewed the lives of washing machines, filing cabinets, toolboxes, fridges, lockers, laundry troughs and numerous other kerbside pickups. Cut, welded, scratched, bashed, painted and my favourite addition – Rust, has added a natural feel to my organic abstracts. This has been a very fulfilling artistic direction as my abstract development grows. The experimental use of the earths’ natural patinas has so much more potential. The formation and unpredictability of rust excites my creative mind while the finished product still stays true to the use of recyclable materials.
I have also been experimenting with other recycled materials, including the bed mattress which is so commonly found on many a verge in any neighbourhood. This material has become part of a number of my more recent pieces. I have found that when pulling it apart, it can be quite diverse in its shape and I have found numerous ways to integrate it into my sculptures. This is a classic example of the way I utilise materials that are mostly thrown out.
Since my first public exhibition in 2013 my art journey has yielded 13 varied awards including major awards at the Claremont art awards, Castaways Rockingham and Sculpture by the Bay Dunsborough. My three solo exhibitions showcased my ability to recreate art from seemingly useless discarded items.
I have endeavoured to follow my organic sense with strong connections to the earth, nature, country and re-purposing.