Artists Bio
Light has always been of particular importance for me. Whilst growing up, due to my dual Anglo Greek heritage, we continually travelled between the North of England and the Mediterranean and I remember the contrast of the muted green, grey and brown tones of life in England as opposed to the bright blues and whites of Greece. I have always been drawn to folkloric practices and narratives woven to make meaning; objects fashioned by hand which somehow connect to the liminal. Inspired by the fragments of sculptures from ancient Greece, I gain glimpses of what is present and what has been lost, the voids often creating a beautiful symmetry and space for the eye to pause and reflect. I am motivated by a love of exploration and growth and my work reflects this through a continuous ravelling and unravelling of various mediums. From performance art, film and installation, I have during the last few years, been drawn back to traditional techniques such as medieval stained glass and sculpture, in particular plaster carving with the zewana, a traditional chisel from Morocco.
Orbital (Plaster and Glass)
The concept of this work is drawn from folkloric customs of England, whereas the shape and colours are inspired by the Mediterranean. There are many magical associations to Hag Stones (a stone with a natural hole through it). One is, if you tie nine knots in a length of string and pull it through the Hags Stone hole, you can jump through yourself on the ninth knot and be transported to another place. The pure white of the gypsum, naturally smoothed into feminine shapes, with a portal hollowed out, invites the eye to look through it, into a world bathed in gold and blue light.
Inspiration
My inspiration comes from varied sources. Initially through the eyes of a child in nature; the smooth hollow naturally sculpted stones which became magical portals, the deep blue colours of the Mediterranean sea with the golden sunlight on its surface, creating patterns and dances of an infinite nature. Through archaeology, the fragments of cultures found from ancient civilisations, including ancient Greece and the organic shapes of the Olmecs in Central America. Through architecture in particular the Islamic influences in Andalusia; The Alhambra in Granada, The Royal Alcázar of Seville, the Mezquita-Catedral of Cordoba. Through devotional and folk art, works which stand at the threshold. Through the works of artists such as Rembrandt and his use of light and shade, the visionary work of William Blake and the quintessentially English pastoral scenes of Samuel Palmer to name but a few.
