Putting together a show like this is kind of a dream come true. It’s a chance to celebrate the fact that there are many and varied aspects to my art-making. I have always drawn on influences from different sources and chased my fascination with a variety of materials. Standing back and looking at these pieces in one room, it is fun to observe where there are threads that weave through the diversity, changing direction when a strand of colour entwines with method or subject matter twists around experimentation.

In my art practice I am looking for ways to tell a story, to engage the viewer and to spark a conversation. In order to effectively do this, I believe it is important to understand my materials and have a sufficient level of craftsmanship in order to achieve the desired result. Once that level of craftsmanship is achieved, the process feels less effortful; almost as if you are channelling the emotion of the piece through your hands without having to think about what your hands are doing. When this happens, it is a certain kind of magic.

Three-dimensional materials like clay feel more natural to me because the process involves working directly with my hands. In contrast, I often have to try harder when translating three into two dimensions such as in painting or drawing. This process happens very much in the head. It is more intellectual, less intuitive. The things that I struggle with (such as conveying a three-dimensional idea on a two-dimensional surface) can also bring satisfaction as I am challenged to find competence where I have had to work for it. My “toolbox” expands then, one aspect of what I do informing and strengthening another. It keeps me on my toes, keeps me growing, insists that I learn from my failures. Long ago I decided to give myself permission to be diverse. I hope it makes me a more complete artist in the end. It definitely keeps me excited about going to the studio.