Background
I was born and raised in the more rural parts of the Scenic Rim, in South-East Queensland. Due to my family circumstances, I grew up in a pretty unconventional way. Being an only child in a family that was almost living at a hospital meant the first time I associated with other children was at about four years of age. We lived for ten years in a three-bay shed on the property where my mum and dad and close friends were building our house. So, by age sixteen, I had already had a pretty interesting upbringing, and was at that very age experiencing working plumbing, electricity, and cooking food on a stove rather than a gas-top camp oven for the first time. Besides this, I was born when my parents were in their forties, so the atmosphere of the household was much different to a lot of my friend’s homes. These circumstances greatly influenced my current outlook on life, shaping my attitude towards personal values, and ultimately influencing my art style. I grew up watching John Wayne movies, fell in love with vinyl records, and can distinctly remember the layout of the Princess Alexander Hospital in Brisbane. I’ve always been quite an independent person, who keeps to themselves, but my mind is constantly filled with thoughts about the metaphysical properties of nature, the sky, and the small details in objects we take for granted.
Artistic Focus
I am still trying to hone my technical skills in order to convey my intended meaning, to add the amount of emotion I want to my pieces, but typically, I work with digital image manipulation, watercolour and fine line drawing. I like working with what is around me – the clouds, buildings, streetscapes, and household objects. For my paintings that personify my complex mental though processes, I tend to use non-traditional colours and more elaborate compositions of fantastical creations. In 2019, I looked at how music is intricately entwined with history, and the development of audio production throughout human history. In 2019-2020, I looked at the affects of the drought in the Boonah region, constructing a photographic portfolio of landscapes and human emotions brought on by it. I also constructed an audio-based piece that tied in with this portfolio, which discussed personal experiences of those who have historically been affected by drought in the region. My hope is to one day install this series in a gallery space! In 2021, I plan to look introspectively at myself, my individual character, and who I am as a young adult. I am currently working on a series of works that look at my home, both the physical and the internal emotions this linguistic construct presents in my mind.
