1 What is/are the primary reason(s) for you to make work in the first place? I didn’t get into college to do fashion – my drawings were too big! they said go and do fine art so I did, I just got into it and on with it immediately and have never looked back, it snow balls; one idea leads to the next and so you can’t get off it or out of it, sometimes it’s a curse. My dad and brother are also artists so its always seemed normal and right. 2 What do you intend your work to convey to an audience? I would like to think, hope that I communicate through beauty, humour, awkwardness and a melancholic wistfullness, I hope the work is politically, socially and culturally relevant, that it is evocative and poignant to many people. 3 Why do you work in your chosen medium and format? I let the ideas lead, I follow them into any medium. 4 Technically speaking how do you go about constructing your work, that is the image or object itself? What devices do you employ? I can’t easily say because each medium requires different techniques. In my recent series Marine Dialogues I can explain quite simply; I’ve set up laboratory tanks of water then filmed various sea creatures in the tank, as and when the marine biologists bring new creatures back to the lab. While watching the behaviour of the creatures I often come up with an idea of what to say to them or do with them and so begin to make notes and write a script. I then film myself in front of a blue screen to then digitally superimpose myself into the tank, I often do this many times until I get it right, then edit the films and look at them all in relation to each other, I’m interested in the sense of what is conveyed across the whole series, so each film leads me to ideas for the next one, they are ongoing so I’m still thinking and planning new dialogues; a homing crab and sea slugs are next. 5 Which period(s)/artists/specific works of art are you influenced by and how directly? How does this manifest in your work? On a surface level things come and go, inspire me for a while based upon what I am thinking or looking at, but strong remaining influences are; Spanish Still life, Vanitas painting, Victorian Fairy painting, lots of performance artists especially feminist and lots of conceptual artists. I like things that are slight, witty, clever, emotionally charged and provocative. My greatest and everlasting moments with art have been when I have been moved to tears by coming across small, delicate, seemingly insignificant and irreverent drawings by Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse and Agnes Martin. The writings of all three artists have inspired me too. Marlene Dumas has moved me to tears on many occasions I find her work truly resonant and astonishing. Turning the corner and stumbling over Eva Hesse’s ‘Repetition Nineteen’ demurely gathered on the floor amidst all the macho geometric minimalist work at MOMA New York was unforgettable; in that moment it was like coming home I knew why I was an artist and exactly what I had to do, the moment provided me with all the inspiration I needed to last a lifetime, there’s also a photo of her at the opening of her first solo show which made an indelible impression upon me when first starting out. 6 What stimulates/informs your work from the world around you? Searching the internet opens up lots of thought lanes as do conversations, walking in beautiful magnificent places, the sea, books, being up in a plane and a few pints with great old friends brings everything back into place and so journeys become clear. 7 What stimulates/informs your work from your own personal experience? All or any part of my personal experience is filtered through my work, it is directly autobiographical and so what ever is current for me manifests in the work; having difficulty trying to concieive, being single, being lonely, being busy, being happy, being in love, being in a city or country on my own etc My frustration with a lack of true and meaningful connectedness to the world; people and nature is my main point of departure. I’m driven by getting frustrated with having to teach and so being desperate to get back to my work, always feeling I’m running out of time, needing to communicate, competitiveness, inspired by other artists around me, I have to make a brilliant piece of work one day that contributes to a universal development in thinking, seeing and feeling if I don’t I’ve failed!! 8 From where do you derive your other visual source material (i.e. non art historical) and how do you implement this material within your work? Again whatever is currently around me, like a magpie I steal bits of information or inspiration from my local and near vicinity I don’t tend to look or think globablly; currently I’m drawing inspiration and material from the biology department in the university where I’m teaching and other university departments and the sea at the end of my road! Writing proposals for residencies and exhibitions in particular places triggers off lots of thoughts and new avenues. 9 What are the main problems that you face in making your work? Not enough time, money, knowledge, technical knowledge and support, not enough time to seek opportunities that will trigger off new development and research. 10 Where do you intend to take your work from here? More jellyfish, epic sailing trips, epic poetry, French voices, birds in cages, historical and famous conversations and diaries by women, more erotic undertones, more beauty, and hopefully more humour.