| Over the years I have tried my hand in many art and craft mediums, always being drawn to anything tactile. Ceramics and found object assemblage were particular favourites. It wasn’t until 2004 that I had my first mosaic experience, and from there I was hooked. I immediately loved the ability of the mosaic art form to blur the lines between the 2-dimensional and the 3-dimensional, and the range of wonderful materials that could be incorporated. I developed my craft by reading books, researching the Internet and lots of practice. In 2008 I travelled to Italy to study traditional Byzantine methods and gained a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the history and techniques of this ancient art form.
My own art incorporates many styles, from decorative patterns and stylised figures to abstracted forms. I enjoy working with traditional smalti and marble, but my real love is mixed media. I enjoy cutting ceramic pieces, compelling them to yield to a desired shape, combining them with the luminosity of glass, the weathered warmth of stone or the fragile patina of rusted metal. I use found objects often to express a personal sentiment, provide a focal point or simply to create contrast. I also enjoy the application of mosaic to discarded objects and furniture, refashioning them to become functional art works. It gives me great satisfaction to take something that has been abandoned and re-create it to tell a different story, thereby giving it a new life. Sometimes objects will tell me what it is they want to be, suggesting their story in their shape. These are my favourite pieces, where I feel that I am simply the facilitator, channeling the inherent possibility in all things to transform and renew.
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