My paintings are mostly inspired by objects - both man-made and natural, within interior and external spaces. I am particularly intrigued by the sometimes strange and unexpected mood generated by the juxtaposition of such objects within their surroundings - a metamorphosis of the commonplace.  

I usually work in mixed media, particularly paper collage with acrylic paint but I have also explored the possibilities of combining printmaking techniques such as etching and acquatint with collage in order to push the boundaries of my work.

The paper used for the collages is normally taken from coloured magazines, initially chosen for  the colour, shape, textural and tonal qualities that provide a springboard to amplify the strangeness and beauty of the world we inhabit.

However, another facet of using this material and technique is that by taking a fragment of what is already an image of another reality, I do not have total control over the final outcome. There are sometimes images within the paper fragments that add other levels of meaning, of which I am unaware at the time of making the work. This might perhaps be regarded as an unconscious collaboration between myself and creator of the original image?

The notion of the unpredictible nature of collage is echoed in the words of David Risley (in a brochure for 'Collage' exhibition 27 March - 8 May 2004, Bloomberg SPACE):

"A cut cannot be undone. You either accept the serendipity or discard the mistakes - which engenders a mood of contingency, a lack of total control and a respectful regard for the ad hoc. Perhaps this is why collage is aligned with radicalism: it shuns institutional control and subverts expectations - even the artists.”