Why do you make art?
It’s something I can’t help thinking about. It’s a satisfying, and almost necessary, way of describing ideas.
Who do you make it for?
Other people – though I couldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy the process.
Do you have heroes? Is so, who, if not why not?
I tend to admire people whose work is nothing like mine – huge installations and expressionistic paintings. I’m probably more influenced by books and film– Haruki Murakami and David Lynch are definitely among my heroes.
Do you plan out a piece or do you wing it?
Part of the reason I make art is for the surprises. When I set out I have a general idea in mind, and then trawl through libraries for images. From that point it’s like a jigsaw puzzle.
How do you know when you are finished?
It’s like the saying “look in the mirror then take one thing off’. Often when I think it’s finished, it still needs simplifying.
What was the first exhibition/artwork you saw that blew your mind?
Probably Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion by Francis Bacon – the colours and fleshiness are brilliant.
Name a recent exhibition that impressed you?
Moving to rural Tasmania a few years ago has limited the number of shows I’ve seen lately – though if it counts I wish I’d seen David Noonan’s last show in Melbourne.
If you could have any artwork in the world what would it be?
Saturn Devouring His Son by Goya – a lot like the Bacon work I mentioned – I love its meatiness. Or a Kiki Smith figure.
