London, Jerwood Space, Jerwood Drawing Prize, September – October 2013; this exhibition travelled to Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University, November 2013-February 2014, The Gallery, Plymouth College of Art and Plymouth Arts Centre, February – March 2014, and the Sidney Cooper Gallery, Canterbury Christ Church University, March – April 2014
Woking, The Lightbox, The Ingram Collection: The Impact of War, 15 October 2014 – 4 January 2015
The artist comments: Art is a vital part of my life allowing me to creatively express my feelings, thoughts and concerns, whilst raising awareness on controversial and traumatic, social political and environmental issues. I like to challenge myself with ambitious large scale projects, constantly exploring and experimenting with a variety of processes, techniques and materials to strengthen my abilities and enhance the final outcomes. I am currently concentrating on large scale drawings recreating war scenes that confront the viewer with the harrowing reality of what many face on a daily basis, influenced by photojournalists who capture brutal photographs of crucial real life catastrophes. Soldiers are often portrayed as brave and courageous heroes; the ‘Soldier’ drawing confronts the viewer with a vulnerable and scared soldier in the foetal position. The drawing can be interpreted differently by each individual: with the subject appearing to be taking shelter from the carnage or displaying a terrified individual retreating to the safe comforting womb.
