As a painter, I aspire to paint flawed insignificance. I am drawn to the Japanese aesthetic concept of Wabi Sabi, which champions the beauty of imperfection, the transient and the incomplete. Wabi Sabi values the beauty of impermanence, simplicity, and celebrates the natural cycle of growth and decay, as well as the acceptance of the inevitable flaws and limitations of existence.
In Japanese culture, “wabi” refers to a sense of rustic simplicity, solitude, and austerity, while “sabi” represents the beauty of ageing, wear and tear, and the patina that objects acquire over time. Wabi Sabi appreciates the beauty of the imperfect, incomplete, and asymmetrical, and finds value in the subtle, humble, and understated. This philosophy of life emphasises the importance of mindfulness, acceptance, and living in the present moment, as embracing such qualities can bring a deeper sense of appreciation and contentment to our lives.
Photographs taken on various trips around the world inspire the initial mark-making of a selection in this group of mixed media paintings incorporating cold wax medium, oil paint and collage while the majority are merely an homage to Wabi Sabi. On execution, the paintings, predominately on custom made cradled boards often embark on their own journey, and as the alchemy unfolds, they tend to dictate their own destiny and present a whole new reason for existing.
