Letters to my faith (2023) Book collection
Tracing paper, Book board, Japanese silk, Khadi 120gsm cotton rag paper, Inkjet print.
This project started with an essay I wrote to my faith during my MA. The relationship I have with my faith has gotten more confusing as I have gotten older. Through decolonising the language of Christianity, the feeling of betrayal of other Christians trying to convert me to their ideas, and my own relationships with the bible and what it means. This collection explicitly covers the feeling of imposter syndrome I have experienced within the church from feeling like I didn’t have a strong enough faith, to feeling like the congregation doesn’t want me there. Despite the feelings of loneliness expressed, I show my hope for the future and acknowledge that faith is a personal journey that is ever changing.
Looking at my Ceiling (2023)
Artist book, Cyanotype, digital drawing, photography, inkjet print.
Looking at my ceiling was made after I spent many afternoons literally staring at my ceiling thinking about what my next project should be. The role of the artist plays a big role in my life, and with this is the anxiety that I am a bad artist if I cannot come up with a new idea for a project quickly.
I find that I am always looking up at the ceiling at least once a day. Tired after work, or just daydreaming. When I was guilting myself for not having any ideas, I was looking up at the ceiling. So, this book is not just about admiring the ceiling, but also the experience of boredom, artist guilt, task paralysis and dissociating. But all of this led to the admiration of these feelings and the experience I have when I look at the ceiling. I believe that all feelings should be treasured and felt to the fullest.
When I start to look at the ceiling for long periods of time, my eyes loose focus and the colours merge into one, I battle for focus again, and I start to follow the lines and landscape of the ceiling.
day to night: walking home.
Artist book. Unryu paper, typewriter, corrector tape.
Walking alone is the only time I get to take photographs for inspiration. Probably because when I go for a walk with other people I am focused on their company. (That and I will probably annoy them if I must stop to take a photograph every few minutes!)
When I take these photos, I am in that strange limbo in between destinations where there is no time limit to get somewhere, where I find myself freer to look around me and admire my surroundings. I don’t hate doing things alone, but I don’t understand why I struggle to do things alone. Most of the things in these photographs are very singular, but they are not necessarily alone in a negative way, they are existing without anyone else, they are minimal, silent. Not an oppressive silence, but a reflective silence
I find that when I take photos during this time, they reflect that moment. I am thinking of all the things I could be doing when I return home. The people I will see when I get there. It is always a relief to come home, always something to look forward to. Not because I hate being away from home, but because of the qualities of my home that make it so comforting, relaxing, and safe for me to be there.
Crocuses (2023)
Digital Drawing
This piece is based upon the joy of first seeing a crocus signifying the end of winter and the start of spring. Purple is a key colour during early spring, as it is shown in the churches during lent on the lead up to Easter where it changes to white. A colour both representing royalty and mourning in the church, but to many, to see a crocus in bloom after months of bare trees can signify hope.
You are my missing puzzle piece (2023)
Digital drawing
You are my missing puzzle piece is a heartfelt artwork. A combination of poetry and drawings from semantic photographs. My focus here was to emphasise the emotion I felt when I had finished university, and my friends had all started to move back home, especially overseas. Drawing from the photographs of when we were together and removing any trace of humanity. The pencil marks the digital canvas, but in reality it is just a ghost of the gestures to create this piece, a series of 1s and 0s.
Prints of this work are available for £20 in A3 and £8 for A4
Untitled (2023)
Digital Drawing
