Original acrylic on canvas 41 x 51 cm

The koi’s natural characteristics embody determination and courage and in Japan they are said to have the brave heart of a Samurai. They will be determined and swim up waterfalls and streams to get to their destination. They are known also as swimming flowers able to engage our attention and yet give a feeling of relaxation. They represent abundance and prosperity, stay in tune and go with the flow. Two Koi’s also represent the balancing of masculine and feminine, ying and yang.

Original acrylic and pastel on board. 42 x 60 cm

The Bororo Tribe of Brazil considers the Macaw a messenger of the Gods and Ancestors, carrying prayers to the Heavens. They represent mindfulness and the genuine power of the spoken word. Their words or songs encourage you to open your heart and embody forgiveness, growth and compassion. Deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest is a relentless ongoing threat. Inadequate governmental deterrents for illegal loggers perpetuate this destruction. Incredibly an area of 6 football pitches is cut down every minute for palm and soya plantations and grazing land for beef production. Deforestation fires are now responsible for a quarter of all greenhouse gases. Survival International are an organisation that give a voice to indigenous people who are loosing their homeland and are directly affected along with the wildlife and plant life. These amazonian tribes act as guardians and protectors of the last pristine remnants of the forest biosphere. They have a culture and knowledge of how to live sustainably and if we as a species listen, perhaps we can turn the tide on a very bleak human legacy.

Original acrylic on canvas

Indigenous people’s regard the Toucan as sacred conduits between the living world and the spirits. They are a symbol that represents communication, clarity and balance and speaking out. Their population is sadly decreasing and their habitat increasingly encroached upon and destroyed. The indigenous people, the natural caretakers of these wild places are also being threatened and driven out of their beloved homelands. I stand with Survival International and their efforts to give indigenous people a voice, so that we can protect our natural world guided by those that have been doing just that for the last 35,000 years.

Original acrylic and oil with gold leaf on canvas

The Rook as with the raven and the crow are intertwined with similar meaning. They encompass intelligence and communication through following your intuition. They have the wisdom and ability to deal with change and loss, hence their ancient association with death change and letting go. Growth is never straight and like the circle they represent transition, evolution and revelation

Original acrylic and oil on board

The Raven is believed to have the power of prophesy and protection. This was the second painting I created with strong influences on how I felt at the time with regard to my immediate world around me personally and of the global issues surrounding the human psyche and the world we live in.

Hand finished

Original charcoal and pastel on paper 21 x 42 cm

The Hare symbolises new beginnings. This particular piece of art was in fact my first endeavour to draw after many years of not. I was so anxious to even put a mark down on the paper. I had no intention at that time to sell any of my emerging work and yet I was so afraid. In ancient teachings the hare represents protection, solitude, focus and love. Come out into the light and enjoy life.

Original acrylic and gold leaf on paper SOLD

‘Mad as a March Hare’ is the saying associated with the hares that are seen boxing in the meadows in early spring. The fight is not just between the males but also with females, testing each other’s prowess and strength. The Hare represents new beginnings and coming out into the light to new opportunities. They also teach alertness, like the sound of a tribal drum the hare will beat his foot to warn of danger sending the whole family home, safe underground.

Hand finished with gold leaf

Original acrylic on canvas 40 x 50 cm

The Barn Owl likes to remain hidden and observe their surroundings calmly. They are symbolic of wisdom, mystique, silence and listening. The owl teaches us to calmly discern what is around us and follow intuition as it arises.

Original acrylic on canvas 20 x 50 cm

The Kingfisher symbolises the balance of pleasure and productivity. They signify new beginnings and the importance of maintaining focus whilst acting with bold determination. Within this composition I wanted to show that within balanced focus you can fly to new heights.

Hand finished with Gold Leaf

Original acrylic and pastel on paper . 42 x 58 cm

There is rich symbolism associated with the magpie. My intention was to create a piece that spoke of joy and freedom. Although I have a rough idea of where I am going with a piece of art, I never know the final outcome or the symbols that emerge. The Hawthorn represents love and protection and the two magpies of black and white, nod to the world of opposites, ying and yang. The magpie reminds us to use our discernment when we are faced with all that glitters, let go of what is old and allow in the new.

Hand Finished with Copper Leaf

Original painting acrylic and spray paint on canvas 41 x 51 cm

Birds are regarded as symbols of freedom and eternity and the essence of what is within. Gold represents the core of our being which is a pure deep appreciation of who we are beyond the chaos that surrounds us.

. Hand finished with Gold Leaf.

Hand finished with Gold Leaf

Original acrylic on paper 29 x 28.5 cm

The symbolism of the blackbird represents the keeper of truth, unveiling that which has been obscured and ignored by the naked eye. He speaks of great transformation which can be achieved through finding your authentic voice and speaking your truth.

Original acrylic on board 15 x 15 cm

Original acrylic and gold leaf on canvas 15 x 15 cm

Original acrylic on canvas 15 x 15 cm

Original acrylic on paper SOLD

Original acrylic and oil on canvas 30.5 x 30 cm

Within this composition I felt drawn to the actual excavation site blueprint of the settlement of Hasanlu. The gold indicates purity cradling the fated lovers within the ancient city. Their feelings are preserved and communicated even though they are long since gone. We as human beings have the extraordinary capability to empathise and imagine those feelings creating an internal recognition. Love. Fear and everything in-between.

Original acrylic and ink on paper 22 x 18.5 cm

In the remains of an ancient destroyed village, archaeologists discovered the remains of two bodies in the excavation of the long ago city of Teppe Hasanlu. In fact the remains of hundreds of inhabitants were found and are dated back 2,800 years ago, 800 BCE. The city was destroyed by an invading army from the Urartu kingdom in the area that is now known as Iran. They swept through the city and burnt it to the ground. The relationship between these two ancient people is unknown but what was so striking to me, is even across over 2,000 years, the intertwined bare bones communicate deep emotion between two people, that has an extraordinary level of tenderness, and we feel it. The images struck a chord in my heart. What is truly important to realize is the transient nature of earthly life.

Original acrylic and oil on canvas 31 x 30 cm

My inspiration was my research into the destruction of Hasenlu. When looking at the human remains I was reminded of my own physical mortality. The Skeleton reminds of the transient nature of earthly life, and our emotions are the bridge between our feeling selves and our thinking selves and ultimately our actions. As a medium the skeleton connects life and death, the conscious with the unconscious. How do we reconcile and integrate those two worlds? ‘Memento Mori’ is Latin for Remember Death. Within this recognition we are lead to reflect on life and how we live it.