Drawing

My body of work investigates the experience of having a chronically ill family member and the way it affects not only the patient but the people around them. It represents an experience that is rarely shared or talked about. I was inspired by my own personal experiences relating to my dad who suffers from numerous health conditions, including two heart transplants and a kidney transplant. My intention in making my drawings confronting was to examine my family’s hidden struggles and invite the audience to imagine their own loved one in a similar scenario.

In my body of work I examine multiculturalism in the young people of Australia and celebrate the culture that has allowed for the development of our country. I represent this concept through my stylistic choices, where the watercolour elements convey how it is impossible to mimic individuality. The complex aura that surrounds each portrait illustrates the diversity of self-expression, and how that self-expression brings our personal perspective to learning.

Tempus combines science fiction with dystopian and fantasy worlds to represent a series of characters in various settings through time. The drawings in my body of work are displayed like the pages of a graphic novel, but the pages do not necessarily connect to create a chronological story where each scene leads into the next one. In using the format of a wordless comic book, my intention is that the audience decides the order of events and which pages are connected or disconnected, which scene is intertwined with which.

My body of work examines ways of representing the many faces of an artistic identity. My portraits are of my key influences, both in my personal life and in the public artistic and literary spheres. My work is a form of self-portraiture which investigates the convoluted nature of introspection, conveyed by the unrefined aesthetic, the erratic diagramming and annotations. Making this work was an exercise in looking inward, into the very foundations of what comes to be a person’s unique creative self.

My body of work was inspired by my interest in dream psychology. It represents elements from my dreams and desires in a dreamscape where the mind is liberated from the fetters of external pressure, where familiarity blurs the lines between the subconscious and reality. I have used bold juxtaposing colours to convey the ethereal nature of dreaming and the fantasies we strive to achieve, which can sometimes seem unattainable. In the last two panels my intention was to communicate a future subdued by the restrictions of capitalist reality, where aspects of our dreams are sacrificed for social functionality.

Contemporary society pushes us to succeed in both hedonism and ascetism; to achieve materially as well as being spiritually present. However, these states undermine each other, causing conflict. In my body of work the cave scenes investigate ascetism, with the erasure of desire allowing us to gain respite in the moment and find meaning in embracing the present. In contrast, the hedonistic scenes appropriate historical works, referencing how historic artmaking stresses the importance of desire and achievement to make meaning. My intention was to challenge the audience to consider both past and future, and the dissonance this causes for us.

Contemporary city life is fast paced and often too busy. Time alone is rare. My body of work examines the time and space ‘in between’ daily life. The time spent sitting down for a coffee, tea or some lunch and quietly reflecting during the in-between time. My work references Matisse’s dream of art being like “a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue”. My intention is for audiences to feel relaxed and take a moment to breathe.

Lost Fowls responds to the loss of biodiversity due to human hunting and the encroachment of invasive species by examining extinct bird species from different countries around the globe. The main intention of my body of work was to communicate the absence of these animals by representing them in a lifelike manner. My work was inspired by three artists: Albert Bierstadt’s use of landscaping and scenery; George Edward Lodge's detailed bird paintings that convey a high level of realism; Ustad Mansur’s painting of the famous dodo bird from Mauritius, done with precision and authenticity.

My intention in my body of work is to examine the awe of Christ and His influence in human lives. Referencing Matthew 5:14-16, I represent Christ as a light source that provides both sight and warmth. My work illustrates the comfort and delicacy of human responses to Christ. My appreciation for classical art lies in the fact that it conveys a consistent concept of Love and/or Biblical representation. I believe this mindset of creating for the glory of God is what makes the classics classic. The awe of art from this era resides in the presence and acknowledgement of God.