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“… all beings are exiles as a matter of course. The certainty about living is that it is a succession of expulsions of whatever carries the life force…”

Janet Frame - An Angel at my Table

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The cycle of destruction and renewal is a philosophical and cosmological perspective rooted in both ancient tradition and theoretical physics. lt is the only thing in our universe that we can reliably predict, and is seen in the life cycle of all forms of energy. Whether it indicates a reversal or step forward, these defining moments are bound to be transformative.

Myth helps us make sense of this unending change, offering a template to integrate the major events and moral conundrums which make up a life. They are the narrative expression of archetypes, which are universal, innate patterns of thought, behaviour and symbol, which reside in the collective unconscious. Filtering our experiences through this archetypal lens invites us to a consider our similarities, and create positive change within the tumult.

That we are more than our physical bodies is shown in accounts of mysterious happenings, discoveries in quantum physics and supernormal abilities which defy our rational, materialist understanding of the universe. They posit the existence of a connected life force that continues after our death; an energy which exists beyond religion and culture and which underpins our shared humanity.

I work at the intersection of figuration and abstraction; dissolving and materialising elements to invoke a feeling of disorientation and unrest; recording the transformative nature of the cycle of destruction and renewal, through a balance of chaos and control.

After my BA (English and comparative religions) at Victoria, I graduated with a BFA from Otago (ceramics). I ran a successful business selling ceramic sculpture from Shelly Bay until 2004, after which I gained an MFA (painting). I continue to teach and exhibit my work.

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