“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes”.

Marcel Proust

I have searched for peace and simplicity, but found chaos and noise everywhere – damage that the tumultuous modern life can cause on the self. Therefore, I had to seek the stillness within myself. I found this while creating art and practising Tai Chi. Influenced by Eastern philosophies (Zen Buddhism and Taoist), I search for the essential – the quiet always present awareness in life’s chatter. In my art, I strive to bring out the inherent essence (the spirit) rather than give the description (for me the excessive detail of my subject matter). Here my aim is to capture the sense of wonder that comes with truly seeing something for the first time and to convey the connection with the subject matter that I felt in that moment. My hope is that when people look at my art, they too, will feel that …without words…without explanations…

Most of my paintings are based on the techniques of Sumi-e, a Japanese ink brush painting. With the application of the oriental calligraphic strokes, I have developed my own language of expression which is a combination of the traditional Eastern techniques with contemporary Western sensibilities.

My drawings are rooted in the human figure where the emphasis is placed on the mood or impact it creates. Here, I also aim to show the essential energy with minimum detail. I use lines and shades very sparingly – just to accentuate the contrasts between dark and light or yin and yang.

In my courses, I guide and teach my students the technique and the meditative and practical practices for cultivating the mind and body unity and developing the awareness to create in this Zen spirit.

As my practice progresses, I continue to reveal more parallels between my art work, Tai Chi and life itself.