Presences, Presence, 2022

Acrylic and wax pastel on canvas

19.5"W x 39.5"H, 30"W x 24"H, 19.5"W x 39.5"H

What is the difference between Presences and Presence? One of the life changing events my mother has spoken to me about, was the death of her older brother who was 13 years old at the time. When I found myself trying to define my theme of Presence, I was reminded that people often refer to ghosts or spirits that cannot be seen as Presences. And I started to think about how the past affects a person's ability to be present. Because if you are not present, maybe you are playing back the events of your life, or caught in a tumble of thoughts rooted in your memories and experiences. I also have seen how these events affect my mum’s songwriting, there are certainly connections between her past and the music and lyrics that flow out in the moment. There are three canvases because I think it emphasizes the central canvas as the focal point, where the canvases on either side are able to represent spaces of absence.