Still life Painting

I am fascinated with the circle of life and death and i have a deep respect and appreciation for nature. Since being a young girl i have been keen on studying mini beasts. Wildlife and the outdoors mean so much to me. As i have grown older my obsessions ahve become more varied; dreams, sex, death and humour are themes i explore in my artwork. They are all part of the big mystery of life that i want to embrace. I collect found objects and animal remains, such as skulls and dried out insects, and i also press flowers. I stick these into old books that i transform into sketch books, layering the pages with collage drawings and paintings. I develop images from these sketch books into large paintings on canvas. My collection of curious things has recently led onto taxidermy, which is self taught through reading books and the internet. I include these stuffed animals in my installations. My ideas are unearthed from my sub-conscious mind, and i dont feel that my paintings should have a clear narrative to them; they are open ended and ambiguous, intentionally reflecting that life can be mysterious. My influences include surrealist painters but also the film director David Lynch and the performance artist Marcus Coates.