Still Life

In this body of work my preoccupation has been the elevation of commonplace utilitarian objects to the status of art through the process of painting. I find it interesting that these enamel objects, which were once regarded as mere vessels for water or food, and were relegated to the kitchen or bathroom, are now highly collectible as symbols of a forgotten past. Most of us remember these objects in daily use in our grandparents’ homes, especially those of us who come from farming stock and whose families did not have access to plumbing and other amenities taken for granted in today’s world.

What interests me most about these objects, is the very reason why they have been discarded in the first place. The evidence of wear and tear, the scratches, chips, stains and rust marks not only are proof of their long history of use, but they also provide an interesting surface texture which individualises each item, much as a human face ages and takes on the character of the person inhabiting it.

I see each new painting as a portrait of an individual object. Like a painter may use the same model over and over again in his work, I can paint the same bowl several times from different angles, thus revealing different aspects of the surface each time.

I also enjoy playing with the concept of scale in my work. Whereas the large bowls are monumental and have the effect of forcing the viewer to take them seriously, the small bowls somehow come across as accessible and “collectible” and they seem to work better in groups.