Subject matter is the point of departure. It is the initial inspiration and recognition of its possibility for painting; an element that is formally expanded upon and reinvented to probe its emotional and subconscious aspects. By emancipating the 'idea' from the image, I can give a formal and gestural expansion of one part as it relates to another.
The inter-relatlonship of the 'parts' is the most important aspect; Hans Hofmann referred to it as 'push and pull'.

Even fleeting forms can tend to assume a monumental structure. In the re-formulation of the idea, my desire is to capture the fragility of the instant and make it structurally immutable. By probing the subconscious as well as the visual, I hope to arrive at a synthesis of the two elements in a composition, which is clearly ordered but maintains a degree of exhilaration and liveliness. It is both felt and delineated. My personal
language of rhythm, energy and painterliness, where speed and directness is important, are adapted into structured form 'in parallel' to the experience of the subject, This is first explored via many drawings of palm trees, Luna Park, The Esplanade and views of the bay with yachts and passing ships.

I've always tended to work around ideas that have been generated from 'themes' or locations. Works in this Series have a deliberate reduction in colour with an emphasis on drawing and linear structure, as a multifaceted viewpoint. In addition. I work mainly in acrylics on canvas (as well as large sheets of paper). Paper gives me a greater freedom. After having pinned it to my studio wall, I can commence work immediately without the need to spend very large amounts of time preparing like one does when working on canvas. It removes the 'preciousness' from the work; "I'd better do a good one now that I've spent all this time getting it ready". Good ones don't happen all the time - if at all, but one keeps painting in the hope that the next one will be one of those.

--January 1985

 

I have recently returned to the theme of St Kilda and its environs because I am still finding this area has a lot to offer me regarding subject matter for my work. The recent works are more coloured and more related to the garden series from 2003-4 onwards.
Sometimes I have done a repeat of a work, drawing or painting. It may look like the first effort, but on close examination it is totally different. Just like a jazz musician's improvised 'solo', which can never be repeated exactly as previous renditions.
It's part of the creative process, where each mark depends on what has gone just before it and the result always turns out to be really a completely new version, though not radically different in its form.

--October 2009

St Kilda Series
Luna Park No.3
1984
Acrylic on Paper on Canvas
122 x 152 cms

St Kilda Series
Clocktower -
The Esplanade
1984
Acrylic on Paper on Canvas
152 x 213 cms

St Kilda Esplanade
1985
Acrylic on Paper
122 x 152 cms

St Kilda I
1984
Acrylic on Paper on Canvas
122 x 152 cms
Price-Waterhouse coll.

St Kilda
1984
Charcoal on Paper
76 x 110 cms
Private Collection

St Kilda Esplanade
1984
Charcoal on Paper
77 x 112 cms

 

Esplanade & Memorial Clock
1984
Charcoal on Paper
70 x 100 cms

Luna Park No.1
1984
Acrylic on Paper on Canvas
122 x 152 cms

Luna Park No.6
1984
Acrylic on Paper
146 x 153 cms

Esplanade
1984
Charcoal on Paper
74 x 55 cms

St Kilda Series
Transition - Rhythmic Forms
1984
Acrylic on Paper on Canvas
152 x 213 cms

St Kilda No.3
1984
Acrylic on Paper
122 x 153 cms

St Kilda Nocturne
1984
Acrylic on Paper on Canvas
152 x 208.5 cms

Luna Park - St Kilda
1984
Charcoal on Paper
77 x 112 cms

The Esplanade, St Kilda
1985
Charcoal on Paper
76 x 112 cms
Private Collection

Esplanade, St Kilda
(towards Luna Park)
No.1
2009
Acrylic on Canvas
122 x 152 cms

Esplanade, St Kilda
(towards Luna Park)
No.2
2009
Acrylic on Canvas
122 x 152 cms

Esplanade, St Kilda
(towards Luna Park)
No.3
2009
Acrylic on Canvas
122 x 152 cms

Esplanade, St Kilda
(towards Luna Park)
No.1
2009
Acrylic on Canvas
122 x 152 cms

St Kilda Pier
2006
Acrylic on Linen
76 x 107 cms

St Kilda Pier
2006
Acrylic and Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Esplanade, St Kilda
(study)
2009
Acrylic on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Esplanade, St Kilda
(study No.2)
2009
Acrylic on Paper
56 x 76 cms

St Kilda's Esplanade
(study)
2009
Acrylic and Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Luna Park, St Kilda
(study)
2009
Acrylic wash and
Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Luna Park, St Kilda
(study No.2)
2009
Acrylic wash and
Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Luna Park, St Kilda
(study No.3)
2009
Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Luna Park, St Kilda
(study No.4)
2009
Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Luna Park, St Kilda
(study No.5)
2009
Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Luna Park, St Kilda
1985
Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms

Esplanade, St Kilda
2009
Charcoal on Paper
56 x 76 cms
Private Collection

Luna Park, St Kilda
1997
Lithograph (Edition of 6)
33.5 x 47 cms
Private Collection