Between 1989 and 1995 I produced a large number of oil paintings based on an intense contemplative analysis of groups of objects. Many of the paintings and the objects upon which they were based echoed the kinds of objects I\u2019d used in earlier installations and performances (eg. bones, stones, twigs, feathers and potsherds). At the time I wrote the following note: ‘painting is a way of coming into knowledge, making sense, investigating and celebrating the \u201cotherness\u201d of the world \u2014 engaging with things outside the \u201cself\u201d \u2014 recognising the strangeness of the familiar’.<\/p>\n

Working directly from observation was, and is, for me a process of contemplative scrutiny – trying to transcribe sensations into paint with as little distortion or manipulation as possible. In this sense it can be considered as closely related to the practice of zazen<\/em> – zen meditation.<\/p>\n

Some of these works were included in solo exhibitions at Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, 1993 and The Archaeology of Seeing<\/em>, at Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, 1994.<\/p>\n

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$\"Pots$ <\/a>Pots and garden<\/em> c1995-96 Oil on board 24 x 48 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
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$\"Untitled$ <\/a>Untitled still-life<\/em> November 1994 Oil on paper on board 48 x 24 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"The$ The Uncertainty of Looking<\/em> July-September 1993 Oil on paper on board 48 x 24 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"Marabou$ Marabou Place<\/em> June-September 1993 Oil on paper on board 48 x 36 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"The$ The Blue Table<\/em> May 1993\u00a0 Oil on paper on board 24 x 48 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"What$ What was it like<\/em> August-November 1992 Oil on paper on board 48 x 36 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"Earth$ Earth Fire Air and Water<\/em> August-September 1992 Oil on paper on board 36 x 24 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"Thunderstone$ Thunderstone and Shell<\/em> July-August 1992 Oil on paper on board 16 x 22 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"Rift$ Rift Valley Vase<\/em> January-March 1992 Oil on canvas 48 x 36 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"Of$ Of Stones and Stars<\/strong><\/em> 1992 Oil on paper on board 46 x 36 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
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$\"Signature$ Signature of All Things<\/strong><\/em> March-July 1992 Oil on canvas 50 x 36 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
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$\"Cupboard$ Cupboard vase and shells<\/em> Dec 1991 Oil on paper on board 43x34ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"The$ The Green Vase<\/em> March 1991 15 x 20 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"Kenya$ Kenya I Isiolo Skull<\/em> Sept 1990 Oil on paper on board 48 x 32 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
This is one of the first of the still-life series:<\/p>\n
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$\"A$ A Closer Look<\/em> Aug 1989 Oil on paper on board 12 x 10 ins<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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$\"Archaeology$ <\/a>Archaeology of Seeing<\/em>, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter. April-May 1994 – exhibition view<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/em>
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