ARTISTS TALKING

The handbag in particular, seems to serve not only as a fashion item, but as a way of keeping things 'close to the chest' – a private and special item. As a male, I felt unsure what treasures were held within these spaces and so felt the need to bring the handbag's interior content out onto its exterior surface. This work was influenced by the way make-up – the most popular item inside (found through extensive research!) – is displayed within its own circular or square compact compartment.

While studying my degree, I produced a series of non-functional handbags encased within acrylic boxes. Each had its own purpose, whether a make-up bag, tea-bag or disco-bag. I enjoyed the image of ladies travelling with numerous bags, which made the original purpose of the self-contained handbag pointless.

Text plays a vital role within my work. Words and phrases are included in a subtle, often unreadable way, leading the viewer to discover their own meanings and explanations through thorough inspection.

These styles and influences have continued through to my most recent work, a collection of shoes. The first in the series was a pair of court shoes, titled My Favourite Shoes, reminiscent of those worn by my Auntie Eileen, not for her daily stroll to the supermarket, but for special occasions, such as a family wedding or Thursday nights at bingo.