Artistic growth often comes from a willingness to explore new techniques and push boundaries. Over the years, I’ve found myself captivated by vibrant colours and intricate details in my work, especially within my floral and tree themes. Yet, as my creative journey has evolved, I’ve felt a growing desire to loosen up my technique—to experiment with high relief, texture, and more gestural abstraction. This shift has not only invigorated my artistic practice but has opened up new possibilities for expressing the themes that resonate with me on a deeper level.
The idea of combining high relief and texture with my established themes wasn’t a sudden realization but a gradual insight that emerged from my observation of nature. I’ve always been drawn to the richness of detail in the natural world—whether it’s the delicate petals of a flower or the rugged bark of a tree. It occurred to me that by incorporating texture and depth into my work, I could bring an added dimension to my pieces, creating an immersive experience that invites the viewer to engage with the artwork on a tactile level.
High relief, in particular, has allowed me to explore the physicality of my subjects. By building up layers of paint I’m able to create a sense of depth that mirrors the intricate structures found in nature. The tree trunks, branches, and blossoms in my work no longer remain confined to the canvas; they seem to emerge from it, echoing the three-dimensional forms we encounter in real life. This approach has helped me see my subjects from a new perspective—one that emphasizes their sculptural qualities as much as their aesthetic beauty.
At the same time, I’ve also been striving to loosen up my technique, moving away from realism toward more gestural, abstract interpretations. This shift has been both liberating and challenging. For years, I focused on precision—capturing details with careful attention. But I realized that by allowing myself to be freer with my brushstrokes and letting the paint flow, I could convey a greater sense of energy and movement in my work. Loosening up has allowed me to capture not just what I see, but what I feel when I engage with my subjects.
The abstraction in my newer pieces reflects this more emotional approach. Instead of trying to replicate nature exactly as I see it, I’m now more interested in conveying the mood and essence of a moment. For instance, when painting a tree, I might focus less on the individual leaves and more on the way the branches sway in the wind, using sweeping gestures and bold strokes to capture that motion. Similarly, in my floral paintings, I’m experimenting with ways to suggest the bloom of a flower through color and texture, rather than through meticulous detailing.
Texture has become an essential tool in this abstraction process. By layering paint thickly or using tools like palette knives, I can create surfaces that feel alive, almost as if they’re growing and shifting along with the viewer’s gaze. This use of texture adds an element of surprise and unpredictability to my work, which aligns with my desire to capture the spontaneous beauty of nature.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this exploration has been discovering how texture and gesture can work together to enhance the emotional impact of my art. Where detailing once dominated my process, I now find joy in the unpredictability of loose brushstrokes and raised textures. The interplay between these elements invites viewers to not just observe the work, but to feel it—to trace the contours of a tree branch or the ridges of a flower petal, and in doing so, connect with the raw, organic beauty that inspired the piece.
As I continue to explore these techniques, I’ve realized that abstraction and texture are not about abandoning detail, but about expressing it in a different language. They allow me to communicate the complexity and richness of my themes—whether it’s the resilience of trees or the fleeting beauty of a flower—in a way that goes beyond the visual.
This journey into texture and abstraction has been transformative for my practice, and I’m excited to see where it leads next. As I experiment further, I find myself becoming more attuned to the balance between structure and spontaneity, between form and feeling. It’s an ongoing process of discovery—one that continually challenges me to see the world, and my art, in new and exciting ways.
Embracing Texture and Abstraction
As I experiment further, I find myself becoming more attuned to the balance between structure and spontaneity, between form and feeling. It’s an ongoing process of discovery—one that continually challenges...
