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Recent work in the Flowers of Romance series takes the form of mandalas, circles of digitally manipulated images in confectionary colours printed onto decal paper.  The paper decal is applied to a high-density foam core and finished with a glossy fibreglass layer, a technique which transfers well to the surf boards in the current exhibition.Mandalas are used in Buddhism and have many layers of meaning, but the preconceived paradigm references the end of human suffering, the attainment of enlightenment and the immanence of sanctity in the universe.  The images in the Flowers of Romance series function ironically, taking a side-swipe at notions of love and salvation.  The ‘flowers’ of the title are not just beautiful but deadly, adopting the masculine iconography of weapons and war.Previous bodies of work have also explored the nastiness within. 

The series Looking for Love uses saturated pigments and transparent layers of imagery to bring together text with coy titles such as Kissing Games and Bedtime Kiss, and line drawings of jet planes dropping parachuting soldiers or cluster bombs.There is no attempt in the work to reconcile irreconcilable opposites, in fact the juxtaposition of beauty and death are meant to deceive: candy colours deliberately distract attention from the violence within the images.  The intention is neither political nor pessimistic; no comment is made.  Violence, beauty and death are a fact of life.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Education

Royal West of England Academy
University of the West Of England

Qualifications

B.A. (Hons) Fine Art
M.A. Printmaking

Selected Exhibitions

2008

Macquarie Bank Founding Members Exhibition, Newtown Fine Art

2006

Linden postcard show, Melbourne, AUS
Paintworks, Bristol, UK  
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, UK
Techno, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, AUS
Libros de Artista, Lima, Peru
New Pages, Helsinki, Finland

2004

St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide, AUS

2003

Memento Mori, Lake Russell Gallery, Coffs Harbour, AUS

2001

Savah Gallery, Sydney, AUS

2000

Live 2000, West Wales Arts Centre, Fishguard, Wales
Contemporary Artists, Dean Clough Galleries, Halifax, UK
Fine Press, Oxford Books University, Oxford, UK
Southern Graphics Council Print Show, Miami, USA
Secrets, Meier van Eijsinga Gallery, Den Haag, The Netherlands

1999

Chelsea Art Show, London, UK
15e Salon du Livre d’Artiste, Salle de la Madeleine, Brussels
2nd Contemporary Arts Fair, Dean Clough Galleries, Halifax, UK
Live 99, West Wales Arts Centre, Fishguard, UK
Garden, Blackfriars Arts Centre, Lincolnshire, UK
5th Wexford Arts Exhibition, Eire
Artists, Impact Conference, UWE, Bristol, UK
Cabinet Arts, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell, UK
Fine Press, Oxford Brookes, Oxford, UK
Green Fingers, City Art Gallery, Leicester, UK
Artists’, Barbican, London, UK
Transatlantic, Graphic Studio, Tampa, USA
Print Exhibition, Carbondale University, USA
Print Exhibition, Kent State University, USA
Print Exhibition, Cleveland, University, USA
Print Exhibition, University of Miami, USA
Print Exhibition, Rhodes University, South Africa
LiePon La Collectionstio, Centre d’Artistes, Saint-Yreix-la-Perche, Limousin, France
Impact, The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol. UK

1998
International Contemporary Print Exhibition, Parsons School of Art, New York, USA
Contemporary Artists, Dean Clough Galleries, Halifax, UK
Bound To Happen, Hardware Gallery, London, UK
As Art, Cheltenham Museum and Art Gallery, Cheltenham, UK
Artists, Barbican Centre, London, UK
Vouge Show Arts, New York, USA
Ex Libris, Axiom Arts Centre, Cheltenham, UK
Off The Shelf, Sheffield Arts Workshop, Sheffield, UK
4th Wexford Arts Exhibition, Wexford Arts Centre, Ireland

Work in Collections
Lloyds Bank (UK)
Ministry of Defence (UK)
University of Miami (USA)
Graphic Studio (USA)
Centre for Fine Print Research (UK)
Bristol Art Library (UK)
Base 24 (UK)
Mackay City Library (AUS)
Coffs Harbour Regional gallery (AUS)

Publications

Books by Artistes, Impact Press, 1999
Artists, Arcady, 1999
A Survey, The Art Book, 2000
Artists Yearbook, 2006
Northern Rivers Arts Quarterly, 2006


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