My journey in painting began in 1989, leading to the completion of a Master of Arts at The University of Western Sydney between 1999 and 2001. This research culminated in the exhibition "Fragmented Values: Compulsive Lives" at The Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney University. During this time, I became deeply fascinated with how cohesive in-groups function—their need for security and unanimity often outweighing any ideas that challenge group consensus. These enmeshed relationships isolate them from external sources of information and critical analysis, which has profoundly influenced my work.
In 2016, my exhibition “Groupthink” at Lost Bear Gallery focused on themes of group behavior within social and cultural environments. Through paintings on canvas and paper, I explored seemingly mundane sporting, business, recreational, and leisure settings that subtly reveal significant shifts in cultural values, family dynamics, and interpersonal relationships.
For over 20 years, my studio research has been rooted in concepts like totalized time and the stratification of memory, weaving historical references with philosophical and ideological threads. Inspired by Marcel Proust, I find these ideas integral to my creative process, reflecting an engagement with memory and the passage of time that connects generations through painting.
I’ve always been intrigued by how social values and cultural history are transmitted through folk narratives, fables, and absurd yarns. By collecting humorous stories and anecdotes, I create contemporary fables that tie into my early experiences in performance and installation art, as well as recent experiments with stage design. My theatrical interpretations of social events incorporate fictional characters and narratives inspired by family research, continuing the tradition of “yarn-spinning” I grew up with in my father’s stories.
I aim to engage viewers by using ambiguous subjects, encouraging them to question and analyze what is happening in my paintings. These scenarios are open to interpretation, allowing for diverse judgments and perspectives on the motives and behaviors of the characters depicted.
Accessibility is important to me, and during the Groupthink series, I focused on ensuring my works resonated with familiar scenarios that don’t require specialized knowledge of art to engage with. These fictional narratives blend experiences, events, and characters in ways that connect with audiences through shared memories.
My more recent works have shifted towards exploring location, family history, and social heritage through traditional genres and techniques. These pieces expand on the group figurative compositions I’ve developed over the last two decades, delving into the places that shape the stories I’ve explored. My growing fascination with how socio-political and historical conditions influence individuals within family lineages adds depth to this exploration.
Over time, my painting technique has evolved significantly. Starting with linear expressionist landscapes in the 1990s, I transitioned to collaged compositions of family and social history by 2001. Today, I use solvent-free oil painting methods inspired by the Baroque masters, 19th-century Romanticists, and Pre-Raphaelites, embracing a refined approach grounded in artistic tradition.