About me

I

work in the medium of printed numbers and letters to build an image. I came up with the concept in 2007, during my Fine Art degree, at the University of Essex. Whilst searching for a focus for my practice, I was researching an archive of ‘mug-shots’ recording prisoners held, tortured and killed during the Khmer Rouge occupation in Cambodia. Each person holds a number up to the camera identifying them. A harrowing subject to look into, I was haunted the most by the fact that the only remaining record identifying these people, are a portrait and a number. From this I considered the repetition of a number as the material of an image, in the same way pixels make up a photograph.

I experimented ‘drawing’ or ‘printing’ a portrait with a date stamp, purchased from a stationery shop and since the eureka moment that followed, I have been developing the technique into what it is today.

My research of the Cambodian Genocide also sparked an ongoing interest in the fragility of identity, and a need to use my work for awareness of issues pertaining to humanity, animal welfare and our environment. Portraiture tends to be my preferred subject matter as it enables me to convey the personal stories, which are often lost amongst the enormity of large-scale atrocities. One subject I have been particularly keen to highlight since 2012 is the history and present day struggles of the first Australians. After living in Perth, WA for 2 years I discovered the violent ways in which the Aboriginal people were dehumanised, stolen from and supposedly ‘Westernised’, and it has inspired a series of works, and two exhibitions in Australia, which I hope to continue in the UK. Find out more

The relevance of numbers within an image led me to portrait commissions, using a meaningful date such as a birthday or anniversary, making a portrait even more unique and special. I have also been commissioned to portray buildings, pets and works on maps of significant places. Find out more

Another root of my inspiration is my love of animals and I fervently believe in the importance of the animal kingdom to the structure and future of our planet. My collection Alphabet Animals is inspired by this topic. It is a series of animal illustrations spanning the alphabet using letter stamps, for example an armadillo made up of ‘A’ stamps. From this collection I have produced a range of printed greeting cards, limited edition prints, cushions and tote bags. Find out more

Since 2015 I have worked with the London based arts initiative What Is The Point? and I am a core member of the artists and makers collective Made in Colchester