Monday, 11 May 2009 05:22

Nude Lilies Exhibition 2007

In the Summer of 2007 I Exhibited my first major body of work at the Mairangi Arts Centre.

The exhibition was a real success in terms of positive feedback and exposure - a real boost of confidence!

Here is an exerpt from my Artists Statement:

The body of work entitled “Nude Lilies” celebrates the natural environment and natural beauty ie. The female form.
In my work I have tried to capture the parallels I see between aspects of the female nude and those of lilies. These aspects are form, flow, rhythm and beauty.
The concept came to me while I was studying under Robert Campion learning to paint an Aram Lily whilst also attending Life drawing classes. The works are all painted in
Oil paint predominately on stretched canvas or linen. Thick bold brush strokes are often used in my paintings to create a sense of movement and flow. I use a rich broad
palette to create a lush and vibrant look to my paintings.

My work is influenced by a number of artists including Dali, Monet and Vettriano. The most dominant and obvious influence is
Dali and some of my paintings have a very strong surreal quality: “Emergence” and “Desert Roses” are examples of this.

The painting “Emergence” represents and embodies the main ideas of this body of work quite well.
Visually it has a strong movement and flow and a strong link to the natural environment. Specifically it links my two main subjects – an abstract figure growing out of the lily.