The computer is one of the greatest technological achievements of our time and is binding our planet together. My work is an example of how creative thinking can adapt existing technology to buid images that speak about our present day situation.   The commercial release of Photoshop, has enabled a new generation of artists to explore the computer as an artistic medium. My unique approach to Photoshop, does not involve the camera, but does involve the photographic print. I have developed a combination of traditional techniques that resemble collage and painting; building up my images using blobs of colour and multiple layers, reminiscent of a pop-up book. I produce images of imagined plant life (flowers, grass, rocks, trees, etc.), adding each new element to an expansive image-library. This library is used to compose and further diversify imagined landscapes that take the form of large floating islands and planets. Each image strives to find a balance between machine and organism, aesthetically combining mechanical and organic forms and colours, until the correct balance is achieved.

   Initially, my practice was based on a linear model of Nature influenced by direct observations of Central Park in New York. My first walk through Stanley Park, in 2007, marked the second stage of my practice, making a shift to a circular model of Nature. As I walked through the old growth forest the artificial origins of Central Park and this project, became apparent. Stanley Park inspired me to consider time as biological evolution, in the form of decay, death and rebirth. This past year, in my curiosity to mimic Nature, I have been aging and mutating my digital

plants, advancing these landscapes using this new, richer conceptual base. Direct observation plays a key role in the evolution of this project. In a time of growing dependence on the digital camera and hard drives as memory, this project re-engages a purpose for visual memory in artistic practice.

   The digital Cibachrome photographic print is based on the first silver halide photographic techniques. This output option for the digital image is a prime example of adapting old technology for a new time. When chosen as a final output option for a digital image in this generative project, the photographic print captures a moment in the evolution, mimicking the function of the camera. Photography is currently being redefined as it makes a shift from film to digital. This project demonstrates new possibilities of photography in the digital age with the absence of the camera.

   I began working with contemporary landscape in 2003 and have listened to many different interpretations as the project has evolved. Some interpret the images as depicting a time when Technology has replaced Nature, while others see a Utopian new world. These artificial landscapes simultaneously celebrate our technological achievements, while honoring the vast complexity of the natural world. This project embraces the value of an individuals interpretation, empowering the viewer to find new ways to interperate what they see.

   By using the well established visual language of landscape & still life, this work is accessible to a wide audience, demonstrating the value of these old traditions in contemporary art practices today. This project does not atempt to I challenge myself to find new creative ways to use existing software & extend timeless traditions. This project provides a commentary concerning consumption practices today, where things are often discarded or outdated before they are used to their full potential

   The decisions we make today will shape tomorrow. To help us make the best decision possible, we need to explore all means to accurately mirror the world today. In a time of great dependence on the spoken and written languages, my career as an artist demonstrates the power of a universal visual language. An image can overcome age and language barriers and bridge cultural, social and political divide.   This project demonstrates the potential of the traditional practices in contemporary art, to function as a complex, reflective tool, with the ability to adapt to our changing times.

    All works are digital files produced at a resolution of 400dpi and printed as Digital Cibachrome Photographs.

STILL LIFE 01

STILL LIFE 02

STILL LIFE 04

STILL LIFE 05

STILL LIFE 06

STILL LIFE 07

STILL LIFE 08

STILL LIFE 09

PLANETSCAPE 01

PLANETSCAPE 03

PLANET 12

PLANET 13

PLANET 14

PLANET 15

PLANET 17

PLANET 18

CONCEPT

   Image making has always been a very personal,intimate experience. By nature, the artist career is only possible through public exposure. I learnt to code my private message at an early age to preserve the intimacy of creating.

   A deep rooted practice of mine is the continuous production of black, ball-point pen drawings in public spaces. You can find me sketching away on Wreck Beach, the bus or subway, in a restaurant or art opening; anywhere my hands have free time. These drawings form the foundation to my artistic practice.

   My work carries an autobiographical message combined with a message about humanity. Drawing has the ability to abstractly express the most prominent issues in my own life. I hope to tap into a collective purpose and relate to a larger group. A married, male living and working in Vancouver, Canada on the thin skin of life on a hot rock called Earth.

   What does it mean to be of Nature but dependant on technology? What does it mean to be masculine in relation to the feminine? Does an image hold the power to affect intentional individual change? Can we achieve a sustainable balance with ourselves and our planet? My underlying concepts are reinforced through my intentional aesthetic considerations and choice of subject and medium.

   My most recent series of paintings and drawings focus on creatures of the sea. Aesthetically I combine mechanical and organic form. My goal is to find a visual balance of machine and organism. By varying the mechanical content, the final image could describe a realistic, utopian, or horrific existence. When the right balance is achieved I know that the image is complete.

   Successful works have achieved a balance of mechanical elements that is visually comforting and could possibly be a sustainable creature in real life. The machine does not dominate or sufficient the work, it is contained and empowers the plant or creature in a supernatural fashion. Intentional focus on the specifics of the medium has allowed a fine tuning. I painted the sea-creatures acrylic paint, sand and sea-water, in an attempt to add energy from the sea more directly to my work.

   This diptych of four sea-creatures is the first work to show at the VIVARIUM GALLERY. The two 80" X 96" paintings were worked up from ball-point pen sketches produced on Wreck Beach during the summer of 2007. These sketches were then scanned into the computer and composed on Photoshop. After penciling them onto the canvas, I proceeded to translate these black and white line-drawings to colour, using many thin layers of paint.

   This work considers the element of water in relation to the human body and mind; metaphorically equating the creation process and deep-sea-fishing. I explore the watery depths of my psyche and pull out images of creatures from the sea. The diptych exhibited at the Vivarium Gallery through August, depict four chimeras from the sea; each couple witnessing the conception of their child. The narrative pauses for a moment, while these creatures embrace, as their paths cross under the sea.
   My work is concerned with issues of a very private nature, while simultaneously considering myself as one of a species holding a universal message. I concentrate on how nature and technology relate, the role we play in this relationship and our dependence on technology. This concept is reinforced through my aesthetic considerations as well as my choice of subject and medium.

   The goal of each image is to find a visual balance of machine and organism. When the right balance is achieved, the image is complete. Successful works achieve a balance of mechanical elements, that is not only visually comforting, but could be considered a sustainable expression of today's world. The machine does not dominate or suffocate the image, it is contained and empowers the plant or creature in a supernatural fashion. Intentional focus on the specifics of the medium has allowed a fine tuning. My paintings of sea-creatures consist of acrylic paint, sand & sea-water on canvas with the hope that the salty water will add to the energy of the paintings, giving them a magical edge.