Perspective
Expressionism
I am expressionist painter, now working in the abstract tradition. My paintings are emotively strong and I hear the heart of what my eyes perceive, speaking directly to the senses, invoking the intensity of life experiences.
I began as an Expressionist with strong and direct work. For the last 10 years I have been working mainly in the abstract tradition. I still make use of, mostly, strong colours and opposing colours and shapes.
With the ying and yang, male and female colours, I enjoy the juxtaposition of contrasting elements - creating a ‘dance off’ with passion, with synchronicity, bold yet calm and truthful - The Truth of Life. These elements include colour, style, media and size.
ARTISTIC JOURNEY
As a child I often escaped into a fantasy world away from any drama. I quietly observed people who struggled, people who had difficulties with life in the constraints of society similar to mine.
As I have progressed in life, including in my art education, I have maintained my fascination with people, emotions, philosophy and political philosophy.
Emotions
Angst, poverty, sadness and the inner struggles of artists, and others, were the emotions that drew me in to express myself in my paintings. In my early years the work I produced was mostly figurative, I loved drawing people. When people became too much and I needed time and space for myself, I could retreat into the abstract.
When I had exhausted that avenue, it was time for me to move away from the Figurative and Figurative Abstract; to get into the more spiritual dimension of expressing the lessons in life, lived with all its changes and grow into working in the Abstract Tradition.
So there are definitive stages in my work where emotions and the environment around me have played a role in my work.
Influences
The artist that first influenced me the most at the beginning of my artistic career was certainly Van Gogh. Later on, I began to love Rothko, Pollock, Innes and Riley’s work.
Then came artists like Kandinsky, Mondrian and Picasso. Naturally, my work then progressed and I became more interested in artists like Riley, Pollock, Rothko and Innes.
These artists displayed their feelings in their art and I discovered that I could express myself through painting and drawing in bold, exciting and expressive colour.