This series of works evolved slowly - first starting with less layered compositions in 4 distinct colours - white, aqua, maroon and black. The forms, compositions and colours arrived quite mysteriously and it was actually unsettling to not have a sense of having consciously created the works... particularly the first 5 paintings. Unannounced visitors that puzzled me and took a long time to convince me they belonged. I actually hid them at one stage and only much later - 18 months or longer - did I decide to pull them out and rethink them. It came to me to add the greens to bridge the starkness of the original 4 colours... in the meantime I had been exploring underwater colour and movement whilst swimming and I started to see this underwater realm differently. Also images from New science were turning up everywhere and the idea of particles and the micro-universe was engaging my attention. Eventually the works ended up in the Post-grad exhibition in 2007 at Newcastle University titled 'Fluidity'. Even though by this time I was approaching fluidity in new ways the concept was utterly engaging for most of the 2000's and it lent itself to numerous interpretations.
These 2 works received awards in in the 2006 Maitland Art Prize in their various sections. The work above 'Untitled' won the Work on Paper Section, the work below 'Sensitive Chaos' ( 1metre sq) was the work singled out for Highly Commended in the Open $10,000 prize and a small work which was sold was highly commended in the miniature section. The annual prize was judged by Professor Anne Graham, head of Fine Arts at Newcastle University NSW where I undertook Post -grad studies the following year with her as supervisor. The work 'Untitled' is in the collection of the Mailtand Art Gallery.
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| Sensitive Chaos - NB: unfortunately the colour not at all accurate in this image. |
