There is a ball of energy eager to escape, to be understood in the physical world, to be seen, and felt emotionally. It’s a feeling, an urge, a need to create. It’s joyful, and playful. This is why I paint.
There is little thought between my urge to create and putting paint on paper. I play with the colours, and the colours play back, there is always give and take. I love mark-making and highlighting the imperfections left behind in a piece once I’ve finished putting the colour down. It’s the negative space that is full of surprises, and so highlighting this at the end is like an entirely new exploration, and as a result, very rewarding. I need the freedom of a completely blank canvas to work from, so I paint first, and go in later with a pen, and make my marks.
I live in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. I start most of my mornings sitting outside on our veranda in awe of whatever display nature presents, with a cup of tea in hand. Growing up in South Africa has treated me with numerous animal encounters, colourful sunsets and endless subject matter to explore.
I paint on watercolour paper or watercolour canvases that are prepared for watercolour painting. I enjoy the modern aesthetic of art that doesn’t need to be framed behind glass, and so I mount most of my paper paintings on cradled wooden frames. This makes the art easy to display without putting it behind glass. I’ve always felt like glass framing creates a barrier between the artwork and the viewer. Once mounted, I seal the artwork with an archival wax medium for protection and longevity.
