An Art Biography
"From the graphics, you will notice a leaning towards surrealism.
Nevertheless, I have made a conscious effort to explore all the different
possibilities of the acrylic medium. I have no desire to establish and settle
into one particular style but have made a personal commitment to keep pushing
back the boundaries of my abilities and expand my repertoire of styles.
Diversification is at the root of my artistic philosophy. As a result of
this commitment to diversifying, I began a few years ago to explore poetry
as a medium of expression and have subsequently written much poetry. Several
of the poems I have written are designed to accompany my paintings. I have
always strongly believed in producing artworks which, while indulging my
own creative passion, at the same time are of a standard which someone would
appreciate hanging on one of their walls - images which can provide endless
fascination for the owner and serve as a talking point for any guests who
might visit."
Influences
During my first year in High School (standard 6 as it is referred to in
South Africa, equivalent to 8th Grade in the States), I discovered the works of
Salvidor Dali, Renee Magritte, Max Ernst, Joan Miro, and many other famous surrealists.
I was immediately drawn to the dream-like and often macabre images, some of which
had somewhat disturbing undertones. I also found fascinating the work of Bosch
and Bruegel.
I found I was attracted to the works of Renee Magritte because of the inocuous and
yet mysterious nature of his paintings. They were never really malevolent or ominous,
and yet the strange and dream-like juxtaposition of apparently unrelated objects seemed to
result in a clean and mathematical beauty.
In contrast, the works of Dali appealed to my darker senses, conjuring up images
lying hidden in the depths of my subconscious.
