Drawings On Water Becomes Paintings On Water

A Vision of War

The audience reaction to my solo exhibition in Sagra Gallery, Melbourne has been confirming and positive. Confirming in that the discussion about the work with viewers reveals they are not overawed by the challenges the content poses. They have been curious, very complimentary and vocal whilst using words like "joy" "magnificent"and "wonderful" in the Guest Book to comment on the work. Importantly, they take delight in comparing the abstractions in the works to the styles of renowned contemporary painters such as Dali, Rothko, Whiteley and Olsen.

These comments are especially positive as it was the "painterly" qualities of the reflections that caught my eye in the first instance and acted as inspiration for the work. Abstraction in art is a deliberate manifestation of a perceived reality. The painters' output is the synthesis of a series of every evolving unconscious influences that create that reality. So it was on the surface of the waters, my brain connected surrendipitously to the basic visual influences of nature on many of the world's iconic abstract paintings.

Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto in his controversial book the Hidden Messages in Water suggests the molecules in water are affected by our thoughts, words and feelings. That sentiment combined with the surfaced visions of the abstract masters I saw in the reflections acted as the catalyst for my creative play.

So when viewers kept coming up asking "Are these paintings?" or when gallery owners asked "When would you like to hang your paintings" or my family continually used the term "paintings" whenever they talked to their friends about the work or to ask permission to move it, I decided it was time to reduce the confusion..

From now on, viewers, my works are "Paintings On Water"