My practice explores the ideals and aesthetic concepts of nature and beauty in the natural world and our relation to it. I adopt a process where an artificial form is imposed on wood through a destructive process, until the resulting sculpture presents an aesthetic that challenges the traditional notions of beauty and romanticized ideal of nature.
When working with the wood, I utilize a variety of equipment including: Chainsaws, Axes, Adzes, fire and a variety of power and hand tools. I consider my practice to be fundamentally based around the processes that I use to manipulate the materials I work with. I consider my practice to be fundamentally based around the processes that I use to manipulate the materials I work with. I see the act of creating as an integral part of the act of thinking.
I consider my work to be a metaphor, which details humanities uneasy relationship with nature and our tendency to view it only in the romantic ideal, or in utilitarian terms. It is my intention that by producing sculptures that are based on damaged and distressed wood, the ideals of beauty and nature, and its values and benefits are challenged in the viewers mind. I view my practice as one that explores an often-neglected area of Contemporary Art, which frequently favours the urban culture of society; and I see my work, as a continuation and amalgamation of several of the postmodern art movements such as Art Povera, Land Art, Mono-ha, Minimalism and Environmental Art.
However, I believe that in contemporary society, the natural world is little understood, and is in fact of greater relevance than ever. I see my work therefore, as a continuation and amalgamation of several of the postmodern art movements such as Art Povera, Land Art, Mono-ha, Minimalism and Environmental Art.
My artistic practice is influenced by a wide range of artists including Chris Drury, Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Long, David Nash, Isamu Noguchi, Giuseppe Penone, Robert Smithson and Jan de Weryha.