OBJECTS OF NECESSITY
“Nobody sees a flower — really — it is so small it takes time. We haven’t time, and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” - Georgia O’Keeffe
Painting still life begins with a simple act: slowing down enough to truly see what’s in front of us. The humble objects we see — a medicine bottle, a piece of fruit, the occasional interruption of my parrots — are not extraordinary in themselves. Their significance emerges through time, attention and the quiet dialogue between painter and object.
In this body of work, I aim to transform this quiet language of still life into an intimate memoir of endurance. Influenced by Giorgio Morandi’s contemplative restraint, I’m drawn to elevating humble, everyday objects—medicine bottles, citrus fruit, and the familiar presence of my parrots—into meditations on beauty, resilience, and the unseen burdens of life.
Some of these objects are bound to necessity. Brown medicine bottles feature in many of these works. Once filled with tinctures and tablets, these bottles have been ever present statues in my life, quiet witnesses to my personal struggle with ill-health. Their utilitarian nature becomes symbolic — objects of reliance, marked by both fragility and perseverance. The cumquats, a neighbour’s gift, bring warmth and brightness to the subdued palette, echoing moments of vitality that punctuate long stretches of fatigue and isolation.
Through these works, I hope to invite you to look beyond the stillness, to consider the unseen narratives objects can hold, and to reflect on how despair and vitality often coexist in our private lives.
Manyung gallery, Malvern
October 23 - November 8, 2025
(Please contact Manyung Gallery for all sales enquiries)
