LOOK ONCE, LOOK TWICE' EXHIBITION

Lockdown may have imposed harsh restrictions on all our lives, but for me, as an artist, it proved to be oddly stimulating. The studio became a welcome retreat and an escape from the scary outside world. Freed too, from everyday distractions, I was able to pause and immerse myself fully on my work. It was a time to revaluate ideas as well as explore new methods and materials.

Turning to Japanese culture was my instinctive reaction to the anxiety we all were feeling. As if discovered from my travels in Japan, tranquility and peace in the midst of turmoil. The Japanese notion of finding the immense beauty in its transience, studies of the bonsai tree also helped me with the reassurance that in the aftermath of COVID and those unstable times, nature could still be controlled and imbued with grace and form.

CAMP MOONLIGHT ESCAPE
Feeling trapped and isolated was a universal condition during those long lockdown months, and again, my fears found expression in my work. I could relate to the colourful carp, immersed in darkness and struggling to find the light. It has no way knowing where it is heading - it fears the worst, and for a time, we all came to share its flight.

Look Once, Look Twice
These last works were created in the aftermath of covid and reflect the complex mixture of emotions that came with our return to normality. Each montage invites you to pause and reflect on your innermost feelings, how easy was it to re-adjust? Did you learn anything from lockdown and did it change your values? Has the world become a kinder place? or after our initial relief, are we returning to the self-absorption of the me generation! I suspect each of us will have a very different answer.