I am showing paintings and sculptures that are around the theme of Transition – journeys of coming to terms with some things, looking at them, integrating them, making new choices, the chaos of change, settling into a new environment and new patterns of living and working – reacting to all that and other more personal searching and learning.

The Sculptures mainly date from October 2005 onwards and were helpful to me as expressions of becoming more fully aware of a few issues and processing some very difficult times. They weren’t made with any intention of exhibiting them or even showing them to anyone; however now I see them as enabling the paintings and think that perhaps it may be helpful for some people to see a kind of therapeutic use of materials. What was particularly curious to me was to choose to work in clay and in 3-D as neither of these approaches are part of my background – but perhaps that was a subconscious recognition of not knowing how to deal with what was going on – struggling with a new material and trying to make something concrete or 3-D out of massive confusion – who knows?

In lots of ways it felt very lonely, however in retrospect I can see that there was a network of patient and loving support. I learned to trust that space and consequently began to grow again.

The Paintings – my choice of materials again was rather odd as in the past I would have painted either on canvas or collaged MDF board but here the support is a heavy watercolour paper. Before I would have used mixed media for sketching but not for bringing a work to a conclusion. The scale has surprised me too – I have not worked consistently so large before but that seemed connected with gradually finding permission within myself to paint about what I was experiencing as opposed to what I anticipated people might want to see or expect me to do, and the scale of the emotions themselves.

So it does feel quite risky and vulnerable to show ‘the internal workings’ as it were but it also feels beneficial to come to a conclusion or perhaps a pause and be free to move on to another series of works.

I don’t think it is necessary or even particularly helpful to give detailed explanations of each work – for me creating intuitively doesn’t necessarily result in a verbal statement. What felt important was to track the energy and express it – they are what they are and perhaps some will resonate with people whilst others will not. I am however sure of their therapeutic value to me, and the sanctuary they created.

I am particularly grateful to AG for patiently receiving all this; supportively listening and challenging; holding the space whilst I explored and found ways to stand up and move on. There are of course others too who have been alongside and were quietly networking a loving environment explicitly and implicitly and I’m very glad of their support, wisdom and many other things.

I have chosen contemporary music to accompany the slideshow because I often find a spiritual depth in the ordinary cultural environment, I believe in a basic inherent goodness. A sense of Creator God manifested through all things, in all times, places and peoples.

The music is taken from Snow Patrol’s album ‘Eyes Open’ and not all the words are pertinent to my issues but enough to remind me that there is a commonality in our experiences despite each individual’s uniqueness. Which is a bit of a relief really!

Similarly I find much distilled wisdom and useful imagery in poems. Whenever I am working, there are certain poems that will accompany me – these are ones that have touched me of late:

“Our destiny is not to become one. It is to behold each other for what we are, each perceiving and honouring it in his opposite; each finding his fulfilment and completion.”

Narcissus and Goldmund by Hermann Hesse