Born into Railway village culture of the early 50s. Self taught, pulling wet finger lines on sun baked river rocks way back. Initially absorbed with cartoon figures usually suggesting awkward moments. Later, finding images of work by Hieronymus Bosch, Max Ernst, Peter Brueghel and others, nudged my direction somewhat.
Most of my work has related to Human folly, ‘The last real tree’, ‘The last two fish’, titles of previous work ascribe to that ever-present theme. However, Abstraction, the raw concept, has intrigued me and is present in much of my work as background fills and marks without deliberation. But creating an abstract piece as its own volution is a significant shift and a desirable challenge as to how well I know those basic elements.
Commonly, I will have several works of diverse nature developing at one time in my studio. A landscape here, a social statement there, etc. Often a colour derived for one work, may suit a development within another. Inspiration is always present, and at times, needs to be shelved to get the shopping done, or a meal prepared. But there are times of heightened enlightenment, when that pen n paper, hauled from the pocket allow the note to be registered.
Stumbled into paid work as the Visual Arts Tutor at Manawatu Linton Prison, 1987, which rapidly progressed into lots of Community education courses and projects. Though Murals and commissions dominated my income until then, full time work in developing and facilitating Art based programs and workshops took over. Hence, I learnt to respect mediums and subjects I may not have engaged in, in order to deliver as a Tutor, that which the pupils requested. Most rewarding was working with the ‘Broken folk’, the Street Kids, Alzhiemer and stroke people, the disadvantaged. They respond so well.
I have a number of public works . In the form of murals in Feilding and the surrounding districts. Palmerston North, council building has a large painting depicting the first Trust Power’ wind farm, Plus Mosaic work on 9 garden planters in King street. The City art gallery; TeManawa, have three of my Paintings in their collection.
I have exhibited in Wellington, Tauranga, Palmerston North and elsewhere as well as having some work with a few collectors in NZ and overseas.
Love music, was a Drummer, still a singer, enjoy writing.
There was never a ‘decision’ to be an Artist.