It is exciting to see this new work and how it has evolved since your last show in 2022. Experimenting with bigger rocks, and playing with building out from the rock to create new shapes. What inspired this shift?
At the heart of this exhibition is a dual piece - one rock sourced from a riverbed on the Nakasendo Trail in rural Japan and the other from the cliffs of Karekare on the rugged west coast of Auckland. I can’t explain why I was drawn to these two pieces: on different days, in different countries some 900km apart. Aesthetically they have nothing in common, but they fit naturally together like two hands - symbolising unity and connection. The resolution of this dual piece created a platform to build a body of work that is complex and unique.
The touches of Kintsugi style layering on the rocks is a subtle shift too; this detail feels in very close conversation to the rock. What is the intention behind this part of the process?
The individual characteristics of the rock portray a vulnerability in an otherwise tough exterior. Cracks, fissure's and irregularities can be seen as both ugly and imperfect. But it is these battle scars that I look to expose rather than disguise. Through an adapted form of Kintsugi I can enhance the fragilities and imperfections, rendering a Te-ami object proudly complex and individual.
You give so much thought to the display of the works, and it seems this has informed how this series has progressed for you? Could you explain about this process a little?
I want these pieces to be viewed as pieces of art. When putting together an exhibition I think that every detail and component must be to a high standard. It can’t be just about the object. How it is displayed so pieces can be viewed as a three dimension object is challenging. I put a great deal of thought into the solution of beautifully finished plinths and luckily I had a talented friend who could make my vision a reality. They are sophisticated and contrast well with the rough surface of the woven rocks.
I always love seeing your collection of rocks in the studio when we visit. Each genuinely beautiful on their own. Do you find yourself looking into petrology to learn the types or compositions of rocks you are finding? Has this given the work any new meaning?
I have collected a vast array of rocks over the years from places that have meaning for me. Some are more personal than others, but all are linked to somewhere where I have walked. The foraged items are natures souvenirs that are tethered to a memory - of a personal connection to place, person or time of significance. This is the driving concept behind my work with no significance placed on the composition of the rocks.
You have your painting practice too, which has such a different physical process as well as outcome - big scale, fluid, gestural - whereas this process is about binding, wrapping, building on a smaller scale and has an element of physics that comes into play too! I wonder how each may inform the other if at all?
There has always been a linear aspect to my painting which I see as a parallel to the starting point of my sculptures. Both genres are tied to the land, but in different ways they push the boundaries of what connections lie hidden.
There is a direct correlation with the cursive mark making in my painting which is repeated over and over in various states of being pared back, in various scales but always connected to another element. This is the same in my wire practise, each strand is attached and requires connection to another.
Scale has been a challenge. My paintings are generally large and gestural where the small sculptures require a very focused and patient approach to resolve each piece. There are more challenges with the wire works as there are so many aspects that come into play, size, shape, weight and certainly with the pieces in this show, they don’t always respond well to being Tethered.
What does craft mean to you?
Craft for me is a 3 dimensional object, heart felt and exquisite. The embodiment of an art practise that produces a beautiful object that challenges the mind and touches the heart.
What keeps you energised (in art or life)?
It is important to me to not be static- to keep growing and challenging myself in all aspects.
I live my life in the art window. I love exhibiting my work- sculptures and painting. I enjoy teaching art and mentoring. I love seeing people appreciate the personal value of being creative and the positive spin off from that. Friends and family are important, as is keeping fit and healthy inside and out.