Artist Statement from the exhibition ‘FOREST | FOR-REST’, Space Studio and Gallery, May 2024.
When I use the word forest I am referring to the Sherwood Forest of my English heritage, the New Zealand native bush of my present and the enchanted forest featured in the myths and stories of my Soul.
The elements I have used in my work, are what resonate for me; oak leaves, the moon, the ‘common’ blackbird, the messenger fantail, the communicative thrush and the little forest jewels; the moths, the teeny rifleman, the robin and the beautiful black maire.
With these elements, I am seeking to celebrate the divine beauty and restorative power of the forest. I am very simply inspired by the way our senses awaken to the sights, smells and sounds of the forest. The depth of colour; intense lights and darks, the cold under the canopy, the feelings; the restful calm, the quiet peace and that feeling you get when you've entered a few steps into dense bush, that you are a million miles away from anywhere and suddenly lost. The birds bring us our messages and instructions on how to be present and at one with nature - whether you're under an oak tree, in dense bush, by a river or even bending your neck heaven-ward to the night sky.
In the Autumn, the trees teach us how to shed what is no longer serving us, but that once lost, the leaves at our feet serve to feed our new growth. The winter forest teaches us to quieten down and be restful.
The big, old trees are adorned with moths, birds, moss and fungi - the forest is bejeweled and laden with treasures for those with the eyes to see them.
Simply put, when we awaken our senses and become present to the beauty of nature, the Divine, we (our Souls) are being restored every time.