I’ve always collected words and phrases that intrigue me, and made art, so the idea behind my recently completed MFA project, Silent Argument in Light of Recent Events, was to find a process wherein I could combine to two without simply scrawling the text into a canvas, and then painting over the top which I used to do. So after quite a lot of research I realized I could translate written poetry into artworks by utilizing a studio process that involved the conversion of written text into poetic, abstract artworks that are defined by their light, colour, and emotion.

Because expression and creativity makes us human. As an artist living in our new world, where much is possible but little makes sense, I’m always looking for ways to deal with and interpret the world. How can one go around solving problems that most people do not know they have, in ways they cannot understand? Creatively how do we deal with, and process, circumstances and events? How can we combat the sicknesses of our age: vanity, malaise, detachment, isolation and greed? Perhaps we can do this with works of art that embody empathy, kindness, connectivity and generosity. I hope that my work might even entice the viewer to a little rebellion, living as we do in a society that profits from the generation of insecurity and self doubt, I hope the viewer might be provoked into both liking themselves, and trying to understand others just a little bit more, and that I think is a rebellious act.

In art school I was into ceramics, drawing, and printmaking. Then, in my Honours year I was picked up by a gallery, and concentrated on exhibiting my paintings and drawings. Now I’m more into photography and installations. The one mainstay of my practice has always been writing, words are powerful, cheap, weapons, and not enough.

I feel drawn to works that are powerful, but elegant in their restraint. This can be found in the Atticism of Nicolas Poussin, and the Abstract Expressionism of Agnes Martin.

I’ve always collected words and phrases that intrigue me, the idea behind my MFA project was to find a process wherein I could combine to two without simply slapping the text into a canvas, or writing it in pencil and then erasing or painting over the top which I used to do. The fields of colour were created using pencil on paper, which I then digitalized and blurred on the computer, when i’m happy with them. Writing and drawing is the most basic beginning to any creative work.

My work is based on life, on feeling, on conflict, on being in the world, and its garden of pleasures and problems. I try to look critically, work consciously, articulate clearly, tell my truth.

Creating an installation in an abandoned building, or an artist residency on the International Space Station.

Doing everything I’m currently doing, but bigger, better, bolder, and beyond.

Andy Stott ‘Numb’ from Luxury Problems. 2012.

A beach after a thunderstorm.

A rainbow bagel

An illusion of chameleons in a discothèque.

Afterglow