THE ARTIST

As an artist I am continuously studying the world around me; learning and striving to develop my craft. It has proven to be a challenge when my interests lie in multiple fields of expression such as writing, carving, painting, drawing and songwriting, but as time progresses so does the commitment to all these avenues of equal importance. Generally, I work in seasons when the inspiration and interest in that particular outlet are at their peak. Often they overlap and this can enhance and deepen the creative process.

Songwriting has, for me, always been a method of telling a story. Be it fiction or factual, the song has always been a valuable means of adding passion and depth to the tale. True, poetry and song often cross paths in phrasing, structure, tempo, mood and cadence, yet I always seem to know early on in its composition whether or

The portrayal of the creative process has become just as important to me as the final product. It is all interconnected.

Every medium is an element that makes up the the final product. The compilation of all creative channels becomes the full bodied language of multi-media which I incorporate into my solo exhibitions, using song, dance, and slideshows to accompany the paintings.

The amalgamation of each creative faculty presents a space or time which the

audience experiences as a glimpse into the creative process.

not a piece will remain written or move on to be accompanied by music. I generally write songs with an instrument on my lap and write poetry when I’m on the road, in a cafe or somewhere out in the bush.

I have been experimenting in recording for sometime now and produced my debut album, “Crows in the Corn,” in 2003. I am currently working on laying some new tracks of more recent work.

Many times a song might inspire a painting or vice versa and it has become a common practice for me to write the song or poem that goes along with a painting on the back of that canvas or panel. At times a dry spell may sweep in or the nine to five drawback of making money interferes, but no matter the season, the gears cannot stop; the gears that turn with the mind...and the heart.

Painting is about more than just creating something beautiful. Beauty or attractive colours become the vehicle to capture the viewer's attention, to draw them in to the idea of what is being expressed. Be it a metaphorical symbol, a story, an emotion or idea, it is my aim to create art that connects to people through the beauty of a visual language. It is important that this language

brings meaning and understanding to another, that

it creates a bond through that which the viewer can relate to. Aesthetics has been the topic of many debates, as has truth, light and colour, but for me, beauty is the result of a measured balance of colour, subject, relevance and light which point to truth.

Writing poetry is yet another medium that I’ve been exploring for over 12 years. Here too, I find myself using a vast array of styles and it depends upon what is being said that determines the framework, rhythm, rhyme and mood of its structure.

I have also spent a lot of my time writing short stories and in 2004 and 2005 I wrote my first novel. Titled, Old Men We Once Were, the story examines the intimate stages of the creative process through the eyes of an old painter.