Influenced by Japan

I went to Japan because I wanted to be morally confronted. I couldn't imagine a country that was more different to Australia, and by operating in it I thought I would be pushed out of my comfort zone. Ironically, I found in Japan a sense of peace. Instead of conflict being the central feature of my art, I discovered a sense of appreciation. The Japanese have this ability to block out negatives in order to savour something in all its beauty. For example, they might look at a cherry blossum tree and think it is the most beautiful thing in the world. Although there might be a homeless man underneath the tree and a factory spewing smoke in the background, the Japanese just don't pay attention to it. It is a way of looking at the world that is quite contagious.

After a few months in Japan, I started creating art in a new style. My art became very sexual, and once completed, I would cut it into strips. Next, I would reassemble it to give a kind of feeling of blinds being shown to the world, or blinds keeping the world out. A background colour infuses another mood into the scene.

I think the feelings of the art are a reflection of my feelings on Japanese culture. The Japanese focus on appreciation seems to have influenced their culture to an extent that they often show a mask to the world. It is not clear who an individual is, and whether they are acting from the heart, or acting from cultural stipulations of social etiquette. In a sense, it sometimes feels as if trying to understand the Japanese is like looking through blinds, or looking at blinds being shown to the world.

I no longer ever paint in the style I created in Japan. As a lasting legacy; however, I think I learnt more of the value of self-discipline and beauty.

Ménage et trios (Oil on canvas)

Lady in Red - Oil on canvas

Lady in Waiting