I currently have some work on show in The Jam Factory in Oxford as part of sn exhibition called Oxford’s Sea View exhibition organised by Oxfordshire Artweeks. The exhibition is designed to offer a “taster” of the variety of work visitors might encounter at the Oxfordshire Artweeks open studios festival (the biggest and longest running open studio event in the country taking place this year between 2 and 25 May), and continues until 29 April… The work I’ve put in this show is called On the Surface – I hope you think it’s worth a look.

On the Surface draws on my interest in the personalised nature of decision-making, of pathways in art and life, and the way that one’s environment can dictate direction. I’ve developed an interest in sea over the past few years – intrigued by the moon, magnetic forces, the seabed, and tides. The idea of greater forces being at work dictating behaviour on the ‘surface’, and a path on the surface that most are totally oblivious to both fascinates and frightens me. 

Frequently drawing upon Lacanian theory I’m interested in the layered nature of understanding, this is represented in my work in Oxford’s Sea View exhibition through isolating the surface, allowing viewers to consider what lies above and beneath the sea’s surface and how that surface is influenced by wind direction, daylight, and other weather conditions in turn dictating pathways on the surface. In short, the work is a visual allegory for the necessity of, and the difficulty in, gaining a 360 degree understanding to fully comprehend a situation, and make informed decisions as a consequence.

In this exhibition I’m placing emphasis on the mystery, depth, force and beauty of the sea’s surface, whilst also inviting the viewer to acknowledge the enormity and influencing factors of what lies beneath and above. The images were taken of various seas mainly around the UK, most of which I photograph from a kayak or boat. The driftwood was beachcombed on the northern coast of Scotland. I really like the idea of this once landlocked organic matter adapting to its environment – once a tree, then perhaps make into a fence-post, only to find itself being taken by the tides, bobbing on the surface of the sea, later to be washed ashore, gathered up and repurposed acknowledging its brave lifecycle.

All works in this exhibition are for sale through The Jam Factory – 01865 244 613 Here are a few rubbishy snap shots of the work taken on my mobile…

On the Surface (i)

  On the Surface (ii)

  On the Surface (iii)

  On the Surface (iv) 

  On the Surface (v) 

 On the Surface (vi)

PRICES:

On the Surface (i) – £270

On the Surface (ii) – £260

On the Surface (iii) – £260

On the Surface (iv) – £275

On the Surface (v) – £160

On the Surface (vi) – £150