The Echoes Series

This series reflect an interest in visual phenomena observed within the built environment. The part of the environment that interests me most is that which involves some kind of human trace. In particular, the weathering effects on stone or concrete wall constructions. What I find engaging about these visual phenomena is that it evidences some form of human activity in which the prime motivation was functional and purposeful. When considering these images I am aware of a sense of loss and of time. The more I contemplate these the more profound that sense of loss becomes.

The challenge that this presents to me as a visual artist is to produce paintings that resonate in the mind of the viewer, and thus provide an opportunity for an engagement to occur and connections to be made. The intention is not to copy merely the appearance of that which is perceived, but to make something new that possess a new kind of beauty. In order to do this, different processes have been developed that move away from traditional forms of painting techniques and produce the textural qualities evident in the paintings exhibited here.

The digital works in this series take the imagery presented in the paintings further away from their source and indulge completely in the sensuousness of colour and form. Parts of "failed" paintings were scanned into a computer and through the editing process the new images have different associations with the environment and a different aesthetic.

Ultimately, my aim is to produce images that encourage an indulgence in visual pleasure; to foster an enhanced visual awareness so that the viewer may appreciate other forms of beauty within the environment and allow unconscious liaisons to be formed. In this way art can enrich our lives.