Produce an artist statement.

I have produced a few different versions of my artist statement throughout my Photography 3.3 study. I used one of these versions to introduce myself, my motivations and my work when I applied for an artist residency in Italy. It seems to me that the artist’s statement, therefore is not one thing which is set in stone and cannot change. I can shape this document depending on what I need it to reflect on my changing experiences.

When my daughter Rebecca died from cancer, I went through an extended period of traumatic grief which I experienced as if I was on a dark path, shrouded in shadow, in a never-ending half-light. Locked within my thoughts, with whispered secrets, fading memories and regrets. I thought all grief looked and felt like this.

I used my learning experience through photography as a curative journey which opened up new paths with enlightenment and different perspectives which came through learning, knowledge and creative expression. I was inspired to explore the cultural, social, anthropological and politics of loss and to express myself through art.

My description of paths is key to my creative process. My work begins with quiet observation, introspection and research. These steps lead me to a deep connection with my subject, to recognise what it is that attracts me to a particular project and to connect with that project both visually and emotionally. My art practice is rooted in the photographic image, and I work across different genres of photography, experimenting with digital and traditional photography as well as video and physical installations. I am interested in the idea behind an artwork as my central focus. Through my art, I seek to understand and capture a sense of that loss and to unravel our use of memory close to the universal constant at the end of life.