String of pearls

Every single shape in this image is a tiny separate artwork in itself—there is so much detail, colour and texture in them. They are like gemstones on a necklace, or a row of friends standing together. Each one has its own unique personality; and a playful dialogue emerges between the shapes as they take their place in the queue. I see them as individual beings, and moving from one to the next down the line tells a story: how they relate to each other, which ones prefer to stand out from the crowd, or who is leaning over to their neighbour, whispering secrets into their ear.

I think of my collages more as drawings because that’s how they begin. I draw with oil sticks, pastels and pencils on large sheets and then cut them down into various shapes which I recombine into new colour compositions. I don’t try to ‘make’ the shapes, but rather just start cutting and see what happens. The images are intuitive; they reflect my emotions and desires or are inspired by something in my surroundings.

This work is signed on the front and titled on the back.
Artwork size (not including grey mat board): 40 cm x 40 cm
Frame size: 50 cm x 50 cm x 2.5 cm