My practice is currently focused on the interpretation of painting in a contemporary context. I am interested in exploring the definition of painting and what it means to be a painter in the world today. This manifests itself in various strategies, such as questioning the formalist aspects of the painting and how this can affect the viewer’s relationship to the work. The conscious decision to make a painting stems from a fascination with the material, exploring its limits and possibilities. This then leads to the medium becoming as much a part of the work as the image.  

I assume the role of the unreliable narrator; presenting the viewer with several possible routes to understanding a narrative within the work. However, I am purposefully misleading the viewer so that their perception of the work is constantly shifting. The work should raise more questions than answers, as there is no definitive conclusion to be found.     

The paintings are based on a myriad of interiors sourced from IKEA catalogues, interior design books, film stills. I specifically choose not to use first hand images, opting for second hand material which is already available for public consumption. I source these images and then manipulate them by the addition and subtraction of elements.    

The philosophy behind my practice is a derivative of the dichotomy of reality versus fiction, the point where the boundary between these two becomes ambiguous. The work questions the way people accept the world with which they are presented as an absolute truth. The paintings suggest alternate universes, virtual worlds and constructed realities. A feeling of timelessness is alluded to, as components from various eras converge into one singular image. The term ‘idios kosmos’, first used by Philip K Dick, is fundamental to my practice. It translates as individual world; we each have our own unique way of understanding the world and how it operates.   

I use appropriation as a tool to place my own work within the wider historical canon of painting, and to suggest a dialogue between my paintings and those of other artists. This also acts as a visual device of creating a painting within a painting. 

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