Statement

Inception

I don't remember being born. This isn't strange in itself, since nobody does...what is strange is that we readily accept this fact as normal. Our awareness gradually happens to us; we become self-aware sometime in the first few years of existence. We 'acquire' our selves. Yet, we clearly functioned quite well before that, learning language, rules of culture, concepts of right and wrong, of action and consequence... so who was learning? And who are 'we' now?

Impetus

The enigma of human sentience reaches across all differences of race, gender and social circumstance. It's the fundamental question that unites humanity and, in a sense, makes us all equal: every individual is a mysterious being with an indefinable spark of self-awareness.

I am a perennial student of metaphysics, endlessly curious about my unknown origins and determined to understand my very existence. This impetus is not unique, of course. Each human life is essentially a journey in search of validity and meaning. And every journey has an impact. Humanity is not just evolving physically, we are evolving our collective consciousness - as evidenced by our changing culture -  coming ever closer to answering the big question: What the hell is going on?

Under my skin 1

Process

I see the creation of art as an extension of metaphysics. When I work on an image, or a poem, I am often surprised at what comes out, and watch keenly just like any fascinated observer. As artists, we may lay claim to our artistic endeavors, but I believe the true origin is a mysterious source, with the outcome contingent on processes churning within deep dimensions of our being.

Art then, becomes the interface between our conscious mind and the hidden levels of our psyche. It's a finger pointing at infinity, and a symbolic representation of our stage of evolution.

Under my skin 5

Substance

In 2010, after 20 years of work as an interior designer in South Africa, I seized an opportunity to relocate to Australia. I was following the love of a great woman (whom I subsequently married), but it was also a chance to change my direction and pursue a new dream of photography and art...and perhaps some meaningful answers to some intriguing questions.

My photography, painting and poetry serve as fragmented chronicles of my abstract journey, like tales from the road to unknown places, or mementos brought back from dreams and other strange experiences. And sometimes they are merely personal reflections of the awe-inspiring beauty of natural existence.

Intent

With my creative expression, I aim for a hint of unease or ambiguity... a sort of disquieting tension. That sense of touching something slightly weird, outside of habitual boundaries is the thing that stops our casual certainty about the world. Just for a moment we are gently nudged into the unknown (or unknowable), and are then free to feel the world as it actually is: an infinite mystery.

The artist disintegrating

Artist self-portrait