A visual language speaking for the climate, nature and her wild creatures

“The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.”

— EDWARD O WILSON

TRUE VALUE COLLECTION (2013 - 2015)

A collection of large-scale paintings which feature crystal mosaics depicting keystone species. Isolated in the picture plane, the creatures are elevated to the importance of human portraits, displaying an irreplaceability and an entwined destiny. Precious crystal mosaics are undercut by semi-abstract painted backgrounds and graffiti drawing attention to multiple threats in the ‘dead’ language of Latin that few understand. Creatures created from thousands of individual elements appear as abstract images on close scrutiny, and on viewing from a distance they represent the last of their species as the big picture emerges into focus. These distinctions of detailed decoration and minimalism are utilized as a metaphor for abundance and extinction. The handprints reference the birth of art in the earliest cave and rock paintings and the hand of man as a huge force for both good and ill.

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'SOULLESS: THIS IS NOT A LEOPARD'

5 000 Swarovski crystals & paint on board. 41 x 65 inches (104 cm x 165 cm)

Featured in Musings, The Curator’s Salon, Entity, Channel NewsAsia, Yareah, Inspired Economist, The Press, Creative Boom, Fubiz, Ethical Hedonist, The Palette Pages & Widewalls.

This depiction of an Amur Leopard is influenced by Dante’s Divine Comedy where the leopard (di quella fiera a la gaetta pelle) appears as an allegory for self-indulgence. This leopard symbolises the greed of man in the persecution of these creatures. Each sin’s punishment in Dante’s Inferno is a contrappeso and therefore this leopard is depicted with hollowed out eyes representative of starvation – esp of the soul. The spiral in the lower right hand corner represents the nine circles of hell. It also forms both the figure eight (the luckiest number in Chinese culture relating to prosperity, success and high social status) and the symbol of infinity when juxtaposed with the circle of text above. The text in both English and Latin is written in the shape of the number 30 which signifies the approximate numbers of these creatures left in the wild. The latin phrase “Morituri te salutant” is part of a famous quote meaning "Those who are about to die salute you".

'BURNING BRIGHT' (PRIVATE COLLECTION, GERMANY).

32 000 Swarovski crystals & paint on board. 42.5 x 66.5 inches (108cm x 169cm)

Exhibited at Hotel Cafe Royal and The Savoy Hotel, London and auctioned in aid of Save Wild Tigers. Featured in The Times, Channel NewsAsia, Yareah, Inspired Economist, Creative Boom, FAD Magazine, Fubiz, Ethical Hedonist, Yorkshire Living and The Palette Pages.

"Burning Bright" is influenced by the jungle paintings of Rousseau and "The Tyger" by William Blake. The preciousness of the living animal is represented as a mosaic created with 32 000 Swarovski crystals, which represents ten times the number of tigers left in the wild. This symbolically fades out; only the head of the tiger is visible; an inherent confrontation as to whether the parts are more valuable than the whole. It is partially protected by a palm frond - an ancient symbol of virtue and victory - and is here symbolic of organizations working to protect this most iconic of species. The artwork includes a call to arms which rhymes with the first line of Blake's poem, and a snare - the preferred method of poaching.

'THE WICKED PRIZE'

17 000 Swarovski crystals & paint on board. 42.5 x 66.5 inches (108cm x 169cm)

Featured in The Press, Creative Boom, Fubiz, Ethical Hedonist, Trendhunter & The Palette Pages

Created in response to the worst case of elephant poaching in Zimbabwe, where 41 elephants were poisoned in Hwange National Park in 2013. The speculation of complicity from the state led to the introduction of the following quote from Claudius in Hamlet, Act lll, Scene lll:

“In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice,
And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law”.

The elephant's head is created from crystals, the largest being on the tusks. These fade out to a semi-abstract body, of no consequence to poachers. At first glance the bullet's trajectory towards the head of the elephant is definitive; on closer observation, the partially silver bullet is a metaphor for an effective solution to the poaching problem, but it is stopped in mid-air by a question mark. In the outline of a baobab tree - the tree of life and symbol of positivity - the quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet is suggestive of corruption and collusion on a grand scale. Similarly, the hands represent the eternal struggle between good and evil.

'THE MEDICINE MYTH'

3 000 Swarovski crystals & paint on canvas. 41.5 X 29.5 inches (105 cm X 75 cm)

Featured in Channel NewsAsia, Yareah, Inspired Economist, The Press, The Palette Pages & The Darlington & Stockton Times

An allegory of Lust. This artwork symbolizes the precariousness of man's existence related to the abuse of the natural world and species extinction as a direct result of the trade in products of death - ironically for the purposes of virility. The rhinoceros is created as a precious crystal mosaic fading into abstraction. "The medicine myth.." represents the trajectory of the tools of destruction and the colours are symbolic of danger and death. The artwork includes references to quotes from Hamlet and Lady Macbeth.

'THE DARK SIDE'

9 000 Swarovski crystals & paint on board. 42.5 x 66.5 inches (108cm x 169cm).

Featured in The Times, Channel NewsAsia, Musings, Entity, Yareah, Inspired Economist, The Palette Pages & most appreciated projects on Behance - Climate Change

This allegorical painting is a reminder to be conscious of the world outside of one's immediate environment in these times of narrowing political ideologies. A Giant Panda, the most powerful symbol of species conservation in the world, sits in a small section of bamboo forest as destruction imposed on precious habitats by threats such as logging and climate change occurs all around. The Chinese proverb “Each generation will reap what the former generation has sown” is translated into the dead language of latin to illustrate the warning that mankind doing nothing to save the environment is at his own peril. The painting is separated by a cross into distinct areas of dark and light and contains the following quote by Edward O Wilson "The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.”

'WHO IS SILENT, GIVES CONSENT'

9 000 Swarovski crystals & paint on board. 42.5 x 66.5 inches (108cm x 169cm)

Featured in Entity, Musings, Oceanic Global, Investable Oceans, Channel NewsAsia, Yareah, Inspired Economist, The Palette Pages, most appreciated projects on Behance - Climate Change, Creative Boom, Fubiz, Ethical Hedonist, Trendhunter & The Darlington & Stockton Times

This artwork is an allegory for sloth. Mankind's solutions become planet earth's catastrophes. Instead of a typical white polar backdrop, the polar bear, symbolizing the earth is melting in a sea of oil and stands on a shrinking iceberg representative of the Arctic, as a commentary on the hand of man in issues such as climate change. The quote in the dead language of latin is a warning that to do nothing is an oxymoron.

'DARKNESS VISIBLE'

7 000 Swarovski crystals & paint on board. 42.5 x 66.5 inches (108cm x 169cm)

Featured on SAVE VIRUNGA, Musings, Entity, Channel NewsAsia, Yareah, Inspired Economist, The Palette Pages, Creative Boom, Fubiz, Ethical Hedonist, & The Press

Inspired by events in Virunga National Park, this artwork references the threats currently facing one of mankind’s closest cousins who share 98.3% of our genetic code. The gorilla represents keystone species, the decimation of which is symbolic of an intertwined destiny that could ultimately affect the future of humanity. The fire is inspired by Milton’s Paradise Lost: “on all sides round, As one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flames, No light, but rather darkness visible”. It represents acts of greed in those who wish to plunder this precious World Heritage Site and its important biodiversity. At the same time, the fire represents renewal and symbolises the power and beauty of the natural environment in the eruption of the Nyamulagira Volcano. The latin graffiti gives the message “Ubi major, minor cessat” meaning that the less powerful capitulate to the strong or more powerful, yet this painting is a tribute to the rangers who overcome adversity and put their lives on the line to protect the precious wildlife of Virunga National Park.

THE HIDDEN AND THE REVEALED

Crystal mosaic lion and lioness.
5000 Swarovski crystals on perspex. 25cm x 25cm. 2018

Featured in Musings, Entity, Yorkshire Living and The Curator’s Salon.

Allegorical artwork inspired by the quote from Suzy Kassem: “Truth does not sit in a cave and hide like a lie. It wanders around proudly and roars loudly like a lion.” As with the Marilyn portrait for Rihanna, this work incorporates a hidden portrait. A low profile lioness emerges quietly from the ostentatious image of the lion. The work references the ease and pitfalls of taking information at face value. In an age flooded with images and fake news, the need to look closely and fact check is even more prescient than ever.

'DELICATE AND MIGHTY' (PRIVATE COLLECTION, NEW YORK).

In loving memory of Simotua a brave orphan elephant who lost his fight against horrific injuries sustained by poachers who also slaughtered his family. (Approximately 55 African elephants are killed by poachers every day). The spear wound on his head was healing well, but he finally succumbed to the snare wound on his right leg which worsened after months of treatment. This work was donated to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, in Simotua's honour to help the other orphans in their care. It was purchased by a collector in New York.

'COLLATERAL DAMAGE'

25 000 rhinestones & Swarovski crystals on canvas board. 24 x 30 inches (61 x 77cm)

Featured in Oceanic Global and Investable Oceans.

Marine turtle as bycatch. Part of an ongoing series examining the effects of humans on other species and questioning the ultimate consequences of this escalating crisis.

'EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED'

30 000 rhinestones on canvas board. 36 x 26.5 inches (92 x 67cm)

"Everything is Connected" integrates insect, animal and human. The androgynous portrait is neither black nor white, but in colours representing the four classical elements. The portrait is in a similar pose to Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earing” and connected to the lioness. The bee, included for its importance in sustaining life on earth is represented in the style of the bees of baroque sculptor and architect, Bernini.

“ When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world”. John Muir