Artist Statement

SHADOW WORK (2024)

This series results from a self-funded residency in the New Forest at a creative hub called Spud in the village of Sway. The narrative of this work leans into themes of perception and introspection, drawing on the natural majesty of the woods and its symbolism of the subconscious. Through a methodology of duplication and reflection, photographic images are transformed into intricate, otherworldly scenes, engaging the viewer in an immersive experience as curious details emerge.

Inherent to my framework are theories of the uncanny and the fantastic. Both psychological experiences linked to the unknown embody a mix of emotional responses such as fear, confusion, or disbelief. In effect, it is a mood, an atmosphere, a feeling of disorientation. Drawing on these theories presents an opportunity to create work concerned with an often short-lived, liminal experience and expand its latency into something to be explored and interpreted.