About The Work
The Heart Of the Matter
If we want to really see things for the first time as they are – not just as we think they are, we must return to the simplicity and purity of our perception. We need to remain in the present, in this moment, right here right now. We must stop our meddlesome minds from their plotting and scheming. We must practice the art of pure observation that is not impaired by our judgment, preconceived notions, fear, anxieties, expectations or labels. We must reconnect and realign our hearts with our eyes. If we can only learn to see, purely and simply, unencumbered by all our perceptions and conclusions, then we’ll know that there is no end to the new and beautiful worlds of our vision.
Thoughts
There is beauty and usefulness in all things. So much energy, design and creativity is invested in all the products and inventions that we use in our day to day lives, and yet so much of it it just discarded or tossed away as we move on to the newer, better things. I’ve always been fascinated with found objects, scraps and odds and ends, simple things that are often disregarded. I try to bring attention to – forgotten, abandoned, and commonplace objects in my photography. The way something has fallen or been cast aside – the everyday still lives that are always all around us. I constantly experiment with apps and different processes to manipulate and transform simple images into “Painterly Impressions”. And over the years, that magical process has sent me on a journey of discovery. I work quite deliberately, consciously exploring the attributes of my subjects, addressing the limitations of my images, always trying to create innovative techniques by which I can manipulate them. My imagination carries me across the barriers into new and uncharted possibilities.
This method of working frees my creativity and provides many opportunities for happy accidents and new techniques that influence and transform the final image. I try not to stick with any one style – I’m more interested in creating different techniques and textures in my images by layering and processing them in multiple ways.
If this work has a mission, it is this: To see the beauty and potential of all things, and the possibilities that a different point of view can create. Whatever the subject or it’s original purpose, it can be transformed into something new and unexpected and viewed in a completely different way.
Technique
All of my images are the result of manipulating and layering apps to create a more “Painterly Impression”. These processed images often begin with a simple still life image, and by using various apps and layering them in different ways – I transform my photographs into images that resemble old world paintings and contemporary water colors. Oh the irony of it all!
My process and my inspiration are purely personal. I am not interested in capturing “reality”. I am more interested in self expression and experimentation. The journey or process from the original image to its final state. I strive to make images that are distinctive and surprising. “Painterly Images” that are contemporary and show another point of view.
This body of work came to life through a deep rooted passion for Still Life paintings – watercolors, abstracts etc – and my desire to create photographs infused with the textures and essence of paintings.
Inspiration
I’m always inspired by Mother Nature, the most impressive artist of all. I love organic shapes and textures and the incredible colour palette that nature provides. I was born in Trinidad, one of two sister islands of the beautiful Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. I’m always influenced by the natural beauty, color, architecture, culture and the island vibe of my Caribbean heritage. I’m also fascinated with nostalgic things, old discarded, forgotten items. I like to remind myself of all the stepping stones along the way that have brought me to this moment- people who inspire me, other artists who have paved the way, it’s all a part of who I am today. I alway try to remind myself that learning from the past, carrying the inspiration forward, is the best way to make a better future.
“We must remember that a photograph can hold just as much as we put into it,
and no one has ever approached the full possibilities of the medium.”
~Ansel Adams