The state of equilibrium is ephereral, a 'sudden symmetry'.  It is a moment briefly passed through, but never sustained.  All systems are dynamic; everything is always on the move.  Even the ground beneath our feet is spinning away from us at dizzying speed.  The challenge is to try & remain calm & keep our balance in the moment, and that is what these works do for me.  In a world surrounded by bad news & seemingly irresolvable problems, amidst the constant flux of change & crisis, they attempt to cretae moments of harmony & balance.  Each work is intended as a sanctuary of sorts, a space in which the headlong rush of time is stilled, & layered with days, weeks, & even months of slow detailed attention to colour, light, texture & form.  They are not 'still life' in the traditional sense of nature morte but rather they are life held still for a moment, poised, polished, & cherished. 

Our native song birds, in their delicacy, vividly evoke the vulnerability of the natural world, but we are not exempt from that vulnerability.  Now more than ever, we are confronted with our own mortality, not only as individuals, but as species.  As we grapple the issues of how to 'manage' the planet, its climate, its ecosystems & our fellow inhabitants, as if we are the ones in control, we so frequently fail to acknowledge that we too are part of this fluid organic system in which our own end is already written.  We cannot stop the flow of time, much as we might wish to; instead we must recognise that we have been blessed to inhabit an extraordinary environmental swet spot in our planet's 4.5 billion year history.  As change comes racing to meet us, we must do our best to adapt, to be kind to each other, and to all those with whom we share our world.  And so, in these works, in an inversion of our traditionally anthropocentric perspective, the manmade objects on the table take on the quality of rare & fragile artefacts, precariously balanced on their little stage, as the birds sweep in around them, coming & going as they please, representatives of the free-wheeling force of the natural world.  For let us not forget that birds are regarded by most paleantologists as living dinosaurs, a species that dominated the planet for 65 million years (compared to our paltry seven) & still thrive today.  The birds do not see value in these precious man-made objects but treat them first with caution, & then complete disregard.  The table, & the works themselves thus sit, both literally & metaphorically, at the confluence of two kinds of time; our linear historical time which has a beginning & an end, and the unstoppable cyclical patterns ofd the natural world.

In the face of such dismal prospects, it is a relief therefore to simply celebrate that what is beautiful & gives pleasure in the moment.  As my work has developed over the last few years, I have moved from Hospice Shop finds to include more elaborate & extravagant objects in my compositions.  Whether it is an eye-wateringly expensive little piece of Lalique, or a striking red Murano centrepiece, or just a quirky little art deco budgie borrowed from a friend - they have all found their way onto the table with the birds, and we have made art together.  All of these objects have touched me, whether it be their age, the sense of story they carry with them, their fragility, beauty, colour, or character.  It is an intuitive appeal but has become deliciously eclectic.  So, at the same time as they speak of serious things, these pieces are also an unashamed reflection of my own idiosyncratic taste, the delight I take in treasure hunting, the joy I experience watching the birds, & the challenge & pleasure I get in making my drawings.  Each piece captures a brief moment of balance & harmony, plucked from amongst the chaotic comings & goings of the birds.  Each piece is a little sanctuary of stillness, composed of nothing but time & patience & layers of coloured dust: a balancing act performed above the abyss.