Vipassana dream junk interpreted by AI

Statement

The topo-lines of my creative development can be traced to the Art rooms of an English grammar school in the 1980’s. I was lucky enough to have a teacher who showed us films like Koyaanisqatsi and encouraged us to express ourselves with whatever mediums and concepts inspired us, while the stereo played the Ramones, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine. My passion was mostly for drawing and painting.

After a hiatus in the 90’s during which I completed a BA degree, started a business and travelled around the world, I resumed my artistic practice in 2002. In the early stages of these renewed endeavours, I experimented with various materials and techniques, such as decorator’s supplies, black and gold paint, and gold leaf applications on canvas. As my creative aspirations grew, I sought access to a broader range of resources and equipment, leading me to enrol onto an MFA program at the University of the Arts, London, in 2005. This environment encouraged me to experiement in various art departments, but ultimately solidified my passion for contemporary painterly expression via the computer tablet, and I was pleased to be awarded a distinction upon completion.

In 2006, I set out to investigate the digital painterly aesthetic – if there was one, and if there was what it might look like.  While creating “Browser Window Sunset,” I encountered a turning point: recognising the limitations of simulated oil brushes, I began developing my own method of creating digital brushes using unconventional elements like images of people, objects, and text samples. This approach allowed me to cultivate a distinctive text-painting style, marking a departure from pre-packaged digital painting techniques.  

During my artistic journey, I have come to believe that the creation of meaningful art is rooted in a synergy between concept and aesthetics, and that the outworking of that synergy acts as a vehicle for our interpretation of experience.

Today, I continue to refine my digital painterly aesthetic, whilst maintaining an active interest in new and emerging opportunities for expression within the digital realm. 

Other Interests

Throughout my artistic career, I have encountered various challenges that have necessitated periods of hiatus. These breaks have been influenced by a range of factors, including personal struggles, financial constraints, and my feelings about dysfunctional aspects of the Fine Art ecosystem.

Exhibitions

Notable exhibitions have been held in public toilets, a rose garden and 7 exhibitions entitled ‘The Myth of the Sisyphean Artist’ on mountain tops across the South Island of New Zealand