Theoretical Explorer
For many years, I have maintained an interest in positive psychology, humanistic psychology, and cognitive psychology, approaching them through the lens of systems psychodynamics. I channel this through creative expression, a synthesis of creative arts and expressive therapies that are used outside of clinical or therapeutic environments. Part of my personal enquiry is developing images and word representations of self-states, ego states, and dissociated states. These are theoretical states or constructs that generate abstract spaces where artmaking can make a contribution to a humanist-driven understanding of identity. I develop 2D images and 3D sculptures that try to describe how I and organisations occupy their mental space, hence I explore theoretical spaces.
My mental space is dominated by my imagination and creativity. I develop different forms of creative expression called multi-modal expression. They help me to generate and capture images or representations of my mental spaces, and my lived experience in them. It’s a curious and engaging enquiry as I explore my humanity and the humanity of community organisations. My enquiry produces a series of bodies of creative expression. They all sit in an intimate relationship with each other,intertwined with elements of my raw unconscious phantasy (Melanie Klein) that scope who I am and why I do what I do, curiouser and curiouser!
I share some of these expressions on this site. My work says ‘hello’, this is me, and this is what I love doing. I encourage and support creativity and the exploration and discussion of lived experiences in group settings.
The exploration of mental space is unlike any other exploration. My creation of 2D and 3D conceptual pieces reflect aspects of my mental space as witnessed through my creative expression. They are attempts to make images and forms that reflect my space as a creative being who lives in group.
Unconscious Inspiration Too.
This work explores the concept of inspiration. I wanted to explore how images and thoughts emerge with a little help from Wilfred Bion. Behind this image is a second more conventional image. But this filtered image really captures the struggle to hold the first few moments of inspiration, that space between the known world and the imagination. I try to hold what is not yet in or of this world.
Non-Figurative Self Portrait.
I am my values. They remain strong whatever shape I am in. I threw this artwork away, it seemed wooden, flat and lacking dynamism. Dead.
I saw it scrupled up on the floor and instantly I saw it anew. It is exactly the representation that felt right then ads it does now.
The Boundary of Conscious
That indefinable point where we come to see, to feel, to understand.
For creative people this coming to know is something we work/play with every day. As creatives as we seem to seek images, shapes, words, musical notes, choreographic movement that hold meaning for us and for the groups we live in.
Am I walking
through life…
…or Dancing
A Personal Research Environment
A snapshot of what a research environment looks like to me. Its full of exciting content. arranged out there in groupings of data or potential knowings. The sparkle and crackle of coming to know and to understand is also part of the process.
Non-Figurative Self Portrait.
I am a collection of lived experiences, good
and bad. In this representation I present a
cohesive whole that is composed of many
elements. Some in close collaboration, others more distant and maybe some even
denied. In this representation I am really
pushing the concept of a single psychic
entity and introducing a space for a they/
him. I also break out of my frame even
obscure some of the written knowings ?????