2017
Aerosol and hand-cut vinyl on aluminium
120 x 80cm
My art focuses on everyday communication that we’ve trained ourselves not to see anymore and try to bring it to the forefront.
Hans Holbein the Younger used communication in quite a few of his paintings. There were two key ways he communicated through his paintings – one was with words across the page and the other was with objects that symbolised what they used in their occupation and everyday life.
My painting uses these ideas in a modern context to not only show what my husband uses in everyday life but to also show objects that symbolise his past and interests.
What symbolises a person more than the objects they use but also what brands they buy.
My husband and partner of nearly 30 years shown as the modern day Renaissance man. Over the years he has been able to accomplish and have a deep interest in many things – graphic designer, cartographer at Lonely Planet Publications, educational publishing graphic designer, our own design business, co-author and author of a science book for children, web developer and programmer, specialist GIS programmer with a deep knowledge of maps.
During the day he now works as a programmer but his nighttime job – and his passion – is music. He has played in several bands and is accomplished on many instruments. All instruments are self-taught – including the ability to read music. He has written countless songs and released several albums – sometimes with other musicians and sometimes playing all the instruments himself. He sings on all his albums.
He also has a deep curiosity for knowledge – everything, no matter what the subject matter, needs to be explored. If it piques his interest it needs to be read further, the question must be answered.
With all this talent and curiosity you would think that he would be bounding with confidence and self-assurance, but waves of self-doubt periodically sweep over him.
I’ve tried to include this invisible self-doubt, while still having the confident stance of the Renaissance man, as Holbein did with his subjects, surrounding them in the things that represented them.