My earlier artworks began with real animal skulls rather than a canvas the bones provided the foundation for my intricately detailed works of jewels and rhinestones adorning the remains of what the world has finished with and discarded. A journey venturing into creating beauty from the macabre.
My recent creative journey has led me to explore a world of symbolism, the deep connection between animals, insects and botanicals and the human emotions. Like with my earlier work with skulls in many of my recent symbolic works I continue to use hundreds and thousands of quality rhinestones on top of the finely detailed acrylic works to create another layer or dimension. The use of many vibrant shades and sizes plays with light for an almost magical glistening, like moving twinkling lights, shifting around the works the rhinestones change and flicker moving away from the two-dimensional panel to something that wants to dance with your eyes.
I am a quietly natured person in life; my use of vibrant bold colours in my work is an outlet for me to communicate a boldness of confidence. Often people are afraid of too much colour to me art is an opportunity to lift our limits which we impose in our everyday lives.
Influence in my work is from the interpretation of symbolism from myths and legends of many cultures throughout history, animals and creatures have been used as symbols or totems of good fortune, blessings, courage or transformation. As children we read stories and fables which have been around for centuries that always teach a moral value or lesson through animal symbolism like the Tortoise and the Hare or The Boy who cried Wolf, symbolic metaphors have been around for centuries to help covey a message or tell a story.
Symbolism is a beautiful universal language that translates to poetic significant messages or meanings. Symbols connect us to our faith, purpose, intuition and the universe and if we’re open enough, to look inside ourselves.
In my descriptions of my artwork, I reference to some of the symbolism of animals and creatures in my work. I have no intention to tell the viewer what the piece should symbolize or represent to them. Our perception and interpretation are ours and ours alone but just simply invites the viewer to reflect on their own experiences and relationships with the natural world and question what does this symbolize to me? I believe that through animal symbolism, we can discover profound insights about our own journeys.