Now showing at Art & History Museums of Maitland until Sep 27th.

My new work involves continued exploration, where emotion is the main protagonist, rather than the storytelling that characterized the Shadow series. It focuses on the push-and-pull between dissociation and deep need for connection. My aim is to portray the epidemic of distraction and avoidance that we are experiencing, investigating why being present can feel like an insurmountable challenge.

In this painting, there is a tension between being present and being dissociated. Between being Here and Not Here, hence the title of the painting. As I finished the piece, I realized it is a visual representation of what I experience inside me when I want to come back to myself but feel unable to. The colors representing life and intentional presence, the blue symbolizing numbness with a quiet ache shown by the red glow as a profound desire to connect.

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Slide through gallery below for close-up details and process. Click for full-screen view.