Nature and Intent

Fundamentally I believe art and design needs to improve the quality of life and in so doing must not negate our futures. This is what I care about and what I strive for in my practice. Here the practice can’t be separated from my being, thus state of mind matters where presence, care and continual learning are critical.

I shy away from ornament in design favoring a distillation of form and function where the aesthetic is the structure and function and vice versa. My goal is to create designs that stand the test of time, that go beyond fad or fashion. Designs that are simple. But I recognize that this simplicity generally can only be achieved if complexity is worked through. This takes time and is approached as a slow and considered way to work.

The disciplines art, design and making, although different, for me nourish and compliment each other and form a more rounded and complete practice. The art although working with the constraints of the chosen medium is open and creatively free. To have access to this mode is very important to me. This contrasts design where the creative expression needs to be attenuated and informed by functional requirements, including those delineated by the manufacturing process, then worked through to arrive at precise specifications. The making, through prototypes provides tangible feedback, can spark creative direction and ultimately validates the design.

I also believe that almost anything can be approached as an art form. Even mundane activities like going for a walk along a path in the bush. It can be done with skill and presence.

My intent is that a practice carried out in this way will naturally benefit those working in the studio, select manufacturers and ultimately the end consumer.