Artist Statement

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This trio of works from the Portals series describes a soul’s journey of transformation. Even times of chaos and uncertainty hold their own mysterious kind of beauty.

 

The works incorporate ink painting and intricately layered hand embroidery. Many crisscrossing threads creating a swirling current that enmeshes the central figure, drawing them towards a mysterious, transformative void. As we view the works from different angles, the subtle changes in available light reveal a use of shallow relief.

 

While working I listened to a lot of piano music, and thought a lot about lines, curves, the pen tool in Photoshop and Illustrator, and the amusing similarities with my long-ago freelance work as an inbetweener in animation. Partway through making these works, I started reading Kurangaituku by Whiti Hereaka; I found her depiction of the other-worldly incredibly inspiring. The phrase “A hum of recognition”, which is repeated frequently throughout the book, particularly resonated for me.

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Exhibited in group exhibition "Cloth", Masterworks Gallery, Auckland, 2023.