Tectonic Plates

Oil on gallery canvas.

36x48x1.50"

During my daily run I kept passing by a neighbourhood house that had these amazing sunflowers which were larger and taller than me. I was fascinated that the round central part was as big as my face. I asked the owner for permission to photograph the most intriguing ones and set to work in the studio. I incorporated human figures from past figure drawing sketches from live sessions.
I began with the idea that humans are organic like the foliage, ever-changing depending on the immediate environment. During the painting process I was painting and alternately reading a geography textbook. I realised that the forms taking shape on my canvas subconsciously reflected the irrigation, flow systems and bodies of ocean water that I was reading about.
Geography is also about human geography; I was looking to incorporate more than one culture into my work to more accurately reflect people around the globe in their various environments. I spent some time analysing all of the photos available to me in picture books, textbooks and in previous sketches. Identity is a very complex concept and must be treated with utmost respect and reflection. The sunflowers, like people in flux, represent both art history and hope; they rotate toward the sun, a life-giving force.