Abstract Pattern Painting

I make paintings using a range of media that explore colour, movement and structure and are inspired by my experiences growing up. Particularly significant memories are the vibrant markets of east Africa compared to the calm simplicity of Delft blue painting on ceramics. I am inspired by form, colour, texture, symbolism and meaning. Drawing on the legacy of Sonia Delaunay, I am interested in bringing together the traditions of Fine Art practice and craft-based Textiles. I am inspired by the way she places and arranges complex patterns of paint to explore variations in light, movement, and reflective colour. Her piece Electric Prisms had a big impact on me. In my most recent work, my primary interest is in natural forms, for example flower petals, tree roots and leaves. Like Delaunay, I am interested in the geometry of forms and I have been experimenting with creating my own abstract and geometric forms. I explore a more physical dimension to pattern and form by combining my paintings with other materials including fabrics, coloured wire and paper so that colour and form actually leap from the wall almost creating a feeling of wrapping around the viewer. It is important to me that my research and inspiration reflect who I am and that by merging these concepts I might be able to discover more about myself.