Statement

I am currently working on two series simultaneously; the ‘Psychological Forms and the ‘African Memories Series’.

The Psychological Forms Series:
The paintings are an exploration of “the intangible” in the human condition
through ‘moods’, ‘emotions’, ‘relationships’ and states of being’. Emotions like anger, passion, paranoia, political personalities characteristics and famous and ordinary couples’ relationships are explored.
My initial source materials are written documents, biographies and photos. I usually start with a sketch of the protagonists but will not refer to it once I start painting as memory plays a vital part in the work.
The blank canvas starts with layers of paint made up of colours that reflect and evoke the emotions and feelings that I want to portray. These layers are scratched through using a variety mark making tools such as spatulas, combs and other implements. Imaginary and intuitive forms evolve and reveal themselves slowly as the process continues.
The process of painting becomes a discovery in itself as the subconscious and the intuition take over. The finished painting manifests itself through the relational sensations of colour and the physical qualities of an assortment of marks.

African Memories Series:
This series is about my childhood memories of being brought up in Kenya. The colours, flora and fauna of the Savannah landscape, the Masai tribes body painting, colourful jewellery and garments are an inspiration for these paintings. The process of making works is through mark making using emotionally and thematically relevant colour for the subject matter being explored. The paintings that emerge are a poetic expression of my memories through colour, texture, light and space.

The Morphosis Series:
Paintings in this series are concerned with metaphors that arise within scientific iconography. The internal landscape of the visceral body has been made visible through magnification and other visual technologies. These images have entered the cultural and artistic field and continue to develop into alternative meanings. The icons I use include the DNA helix, human growth hormone, the female sex hormone and more.

I use these structures and the pattern of the double helix to make paintings that make connections between shared patterns and similarities found across the organic and the inorganic. For example, the structure of the human growth hormone, somatotropin evokes the pattern of beaded embroidery. The female sex hormone resembles the shape of a flower. The hexagonal and pentagonal structure of the human egg cell is similar to many man-made objects, the structure of a football being one example.
Making connections between these shared patterns across the organic and the inorganic world is the basis of my work. The phenomenological philosopher Merleau-Ponty’s theories of reciprocity where he challenged the traditional dualist distinctions between mind and body; spirit and matter; man and things. He united these traditionally separated realms of existence in one conceptual whole. His theories find resonance within my work.

The paintings unfold and reveal a way of perceiving ourselves as a part of this dynamic universe.