In the light of the climate emergency, I explore how humans can recognise the significance of their connections, with each other, with animals, with growing things, and with the planet.  Being aware of this historical and planet-wide intimacy I want to investigate the role of the artist in change, and empower the viewer to feel connected.

 

In order to deepen the important sense of intimacy I encourage awareness of traces, absences, losses and finds, whether these be human or non-human.  Things that grow, places we know, memories, objects or animals.

 

Extinction Rebellion activists sign their messages with Love and Rage.  Alongside those feelings I enjoy the haptic qualities of stuff and differences in scale. I use contrasts between materials and work with a wide range of hard and soft, natural and synthetic, and may include found objects. Stitching is an important part of my practice.

 

The end of the Anthropocene and imminent extinctions can be just a bit too frightening to contemplate!  So I use humour, the quirky and the random; the harmony and shock of combinations and contrasts; and a range of forms and materials, alongside the diversity of made by nature and made by humans. 

 

I want to facilitate spaces for people to make art, alone and together.  Making work outside gallery spaces, individually or collaboratively for political action and general audiences are all important to me.  Art in public spaces, whether collaboratively made or just viewed in passing, should be a significant part of enabling change, whether in people’s individual lives, or as part of wider developments in society. 

 

 

 

 

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                   Everything is about connection.  Until you understand what connects you, you have no freedom.    Marina Abramovic