I am an artist, archaeologist and adjunct researcher in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, South Australia. My academic research focuses on the visual arts and archaeology. Most recently I have been analysing the role and meaning of material culture in both Australian rock art and contemporary art.
My art practice is quite diverse and consequently I have followed a few themes and interests since leaving art school in the early 1990s. During my time at the North Adelaide School of Art I became interested in how images and structures can be built up using repeated elements such as with slats. By changing each slat in a series I found that 3D images can be created which have a semi transparent or ephemeral feel about them. This method is akin to a moving image which is composed of a series of stills. I have used this technique in some recent works where I wanted the image to became a part of the environment in which it is situated.
As a result of my more recent archaeological studies I became interested in how material culture can convey narratives in a sculptural context and have occasionally used found things to create new objects that reflect and relate to archaeological artefacts.
My other recurring theme, which is directly related to my wood-working interest, is concerned with the textures created in the natural environment, particularly tree bark textures. Over time I have developed techniques for capturing and recreating these textures in other materials including fibreglass, bronze, and cement. This process of transmogrification and synthesis highlights the impermanence of natural elements and captures the traces of past events that have shaped the texture of the tree. The process also seems to highlight the materiality of the final product which adds an extra layer of meaning to the image.
You will find examples of each of these themes in the Gallery which is presented chronologically.
My art practice is quite diverse and consequently I have followed a few themes and interests since leaving art school in the early 1990s. During my time at the North Adelaide School of Art I became interested in how images and structures can be built up using repeated elements such as with slats. By changing each slat in a series I found that 3D images can be created which have a semi transparent or ephemeral feel about them. This method is akin to a moving image which is composed of a series of stills. I have used this technique in some recent works where I wanted the image to became a part of the environment in which it is situated.
As a result of my more recent archaeological studies I became interested in how material culture can convey narratives in a sculptural context and have occasionally used found things to create new objects that reflect and relate to archaeological artefacts.
My other recurring theme, which is directly related to my wood-working interest, is concerned with the textures created in the natural environment, particularly tree bark textures. Over time I have developed techniques for capturing and recreating these textures in other materials including fibreglass, bronze, and cement. This process of transmogrification and synthesis highlights the impermanence of natural elements and captures the traces of past events that have shaped the texture of the tree. The process also seems to highlight the materiality of the final product which adds an extra layer of meaning to the image.
You will find examples of each of these themes in the Gallery which is presented chronologically.
