Birds of a Feather exhibition at Sydney Royal Children's Hospital

 

 

"My work is a celebration of natural beauty. Perfect in its imperfection.”

 

I grew up studying science before moving into the creative world almost 20 years ago. My paintings are often messy and wild. They are an uncomplicated look at life, influenced in part by the street art that surrounds me and my daily dose of print cartoons.

 

We live in a picture-perfect world. We look at others seemingly glamorous lives, primped and preened, and question why we are so different. But life isn’t perfect. It’s quirky and unpolished. It’s messy and raw. Beauty can only be found when you embrace the flaws and look within. When you look past the surface. When you look to the light and the colour that radiates internally. Love, friendship and kindness - the qualities that come from our connections to others - shine more vibrantly than any filter will ever allow.

The pandemic has been a lesson in letting go. We’ve stepped back from the controls and let life take us on a ride. The psychology behind this moment in time has played a big role in my paintings. Where once lines were sharp, now colours run. Where images were free from outline, now they are contained. 

 

It’s not necessarily good or bad, it’s just what it is. A simple reminder now is an opportunity to slow down. To stop, look and listen. To take in the world again, but this time to look deep below the surface. To appreciate all beauty, inside and out.