Species

  CM began making the ongoing series 'Species' in 2020. Lockdown meant time spent shielding which in turn gave more time for the artist to reflect, read and create. This current series draws from Darwin's book The Voyage of the Beagle. One hundred and ninety years on from Darwin's journeys around the world, our uncertain present has commonly been referred to by the media as an 'unprecedented time'. A time of global awareness, when sociological and environmental issues have too been brought to the foreground for our attention. This time of shared knowledge, realisation and change has no doubt influenced the creation of this new theme. The expressive animal portraits, have been painted from the images conjured by the painter from the chapters of Darwin's Beagle Voyage as well as found images of nature. As Darwin himself wrote, 'words are inadequate' to convey 'the sensation of delight the mind experiences.' This series of paintings uses colour and composition to explore the mystery of life and relationships within the natural world.