Artists Statement

… ” Many of my youngest memories are of being amongst the sandstone cliffs, down by the foreshore of Sydney’s harbour and beaches collecting weathered sandstone rocks in my backpack and pockets. I have always been drawn to the natural warmth, beauty and presence of this ancient material and sculpting it gives me a great senses of connection to the earth.

I carve sandstone by hand with hammers, chisels, rasps and abrasives, exploring ways to honour and celebrate its lines of grain and beauty while still expressing energy and movement within the carved form. It is often only when a piece is nearly finished that its sensuality is revealed: the stone unveils its secrets with bands and veins of colour fossilised within the substance of time.

I also carve this stone as an invitation to touch. I believe that the relevance of touching a stone is increasingly important in this visual age.  I will never forget the day my son at the age of two, saw one of my abstract female works positioned in the backyard for the first time. He went straight up the torso with both hands and slid them down across her face and over her shoulders exploring the textures and spaces. It spoke volumes to me. If a 2 year old wanted to do this instinctively then i’d image all of us would like to do the same.

My free flowing work is now nearly always site-specific and I really enjoy engaging and working with clients in the creative thinking process when formulating ideas for a piece. The high point within my practice is seeing the concepts turn into reality. It’s gives me great satisfaction seeing my design transform into tangible, tactile forms of art that adds an immense amount of value and aesthetics to a space.

The influences running through my work are quite varied, however most of my inspiration is taken from my natural surroundings and day to day life exploring many of Sydney’s beautiful national parks, beaches and foreshores.

Other strong influences have also been the paintings of Henri Matisse and the sculpture of Brancusi, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, as I appreciate many of the values of traditional work however I try to incorporate them into my work in a more contemporary way.