Camouflage, August 2005
I have been particularly influenced by abstract artists such as Kandinsky, Miro and Klee,
but I have found aboriginal and primitive art equally important in the development of my work.
The painting 'Camouflage', for example, uses some of the techniques of Australian aboriginal art.
Rather than expressing content, the dots and hashing of aboriginal art are often used to obscure
the true meaning of a painting, leading to an image that is more mysterious to the observer
and clear only to the artist.
'Camouflage' contains several levels of patterns; the vibrant red, yellow and green background,
a network of white and blue dots, and enclosed areas of black dots.
Although each of these patterns acts to obscure the others, it is possible for the viewer
to concentrate on any of these separate features individually. Typically, however, the overall
effect is more than the sum of its parts; the painting works best when you do not try to separate
the patterns but absorb it as a whole. In this way, the real structure of the painting is indeed
'camouflaged' since it is not conveyed by any one of the patterns.