Shadow Self Painting

I am a welsh artist, based in Cardiff. As a teenager I became interested in tattooing and I went on to complete my tattoo apprenticeship on the east coast of Australia. I was interested in traditional American tattoos due to the bold graphic aesthetic which reminded me of ancient Egyptian art. I went on to study fine art at Cardiff school of art and design. I continued to pursue a link between the tattoo and fine art, exploring many ways the skills and concepts could be transferred over into contemporary painting. This obsession led me down a unique path of discovery where I have intensely experimented with different paints, tools and surfaces. I now make my own paints from natural materials, sometimes foraging for tree resins or even extracting tar from birch bark. I use unconventional methods in my art such as weaving jute twine through the canvas or using a punch needle to create texture. I douse my paintings with petrol and set them on fire to allow them to come to fruition organically through a process of destruction and creation. This process is emblematic of death and rebirth, which is now a main focus in my practice.