In early 2000, I began working with the Preston based conceptual artist Paul O’Hara, founder of the art group 5.15.  For two decades I collaborated with Paul, exploring concepts of philosophy through art.  This work included group exhibitions, community projects and performance led art in public spaces, then later, with NOMADS via carnivals in Preston, Manchester and Liverpool.

As Paul continues to refine these concepts further, I felt that the time had come to realise my own life long dream and relocate to my creative heartland in West Penwith, Cornwall.  It was here that I aimed to focus my practise in parallel to the ideas developed with Paul.

Whilst Paul’s work concentrates more  heavily on the numerology and mathematical aspects of theology and intelligent design, my own work has become more focused on aspects of teleology and possible communication with an assumed ‘intelligent universe’ or omniverse. 

I found myself fascinated with the concept that if we exist in an ‘aware’ and ‘intelligent’ universe, then how exactly, might this manifest?  Does that universal ‘web’ manifest itself as ‘consciousness’?  Does consciousness go beyond the physical self?  And, more specifically, is it possible therefore, to ‘connect and communicate’ with aspects of our surroundings?  In more simple terms, is there anything ‘out there’ and if there is, how can we ‘talk’ directly to ‘it’ and ‘listen’ to what it might ‘say’?

A helpful metaphor, is to imagine that our universe or multiverse, it a giant ‘internet’.  Everything is made up of energy and energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transformed.  Paul and I imagined that this invisible ‘internet’ connects everything together.  Energy being the method of transfer of ‘data’, transforming as it goes.  A giant universal web of connections where visual content becomes a kind of ‘code’.  The example that most people are familiar with, is the presence of the spiral in nature that links with the Fibonacci sequence.  This same spiral is duplicated on a micro and macro scale when you look at galaxies.

Throughout 2018 and 2019 I explored and developed these ideas through an ongoing process of chance and serendipity. If there was indeed an intelligent universe, then I wanted ‘it’ to guide me naturally, wherever possible. I think we all do this at times. We might call it ‘fate’ or ‘luck’ or ‘god’, but we are all referring to something greater and external to ourselves that we sense. During this time, I experienced a series of improbable events which helped set me on my current creative path to find answers.

In summary, I sense something powerful and ‘magical’ here in Cornwall.  There is something present that I can only describe as ‘beyond beauty’.  Our ancient ancestors sensed it too and built their stone ‘transmitters’ and ‘receivers’ as they attempted to connect with what they sensed.  In my humble way, my work is an attempt to isolate and distil this visual ‘code’ and in doing so, attempt to connect into the universal ‘web’.  

I spend a great deal of time writing and keeping notes on these ideas.  Some of these have been included in the ‘Writings’ section of my website.

May I thank, from the bottom of my heart, my soul mate Alan Ogden, who has supported me every step of the way on this fascinating journey and who has also designed and created this wonderful website.  I would also like to thank Paul ‘O’ Hara for his love and friendship throughout the last 20 years.  He has been and continues to be my most valued teacher.