TINY CATASTROPHES
Not unlike the canary in the coal mine the small islands on our coast will be first to see the impacts of climate change. Although the effect appears mild at the moment, the changes are gradual; seemingly minor changes have a profound cumulative effect.
This new body of work is a perceptual exploration of island culture and the impending impacts of climate change. Informed by recent island travels and environmental research, this work investigates ideas of independence, strength, beauty, adaptation, and survival. My approach to this work is personal, curious, psychological and at times darkly humorous. These atmospheric etchings, small representational oil paintings, and larger dreamlike oil paintings provide a window into the narratives of island culture and climate change. My intent is not to illustrate , but to engage the viewer on a human level with the beauty and the power of the changes occurring. Sometimes clearly defined, sometimes less obviously noted , our engagement with the environment is many faceted: destructive , sublime, and survival driven. This multi-tiered approach to such an overwhelming topic will catch your eye (and reel you in) with its apparent levity, subsequently leaving you with an impression of its gravitas.