There lives in me a sun bleached memory that will never go dim. As a child I spent a lot of time in the country on my grandparents’ farm. Being a middle child, I often requested that my parents leave me there, as I preferred solitude and the country over our family home in the city. This epitomized my desire for a more fitting habitat, one that more importantly comprised of the natural environment. It was a ‘home’ that was more suited to my own personal nature. During my stays on my grandparents’ farm I always engaged in a symbolic ritual of leaving and return home again. I would start the early part of the day around my grandparents’ home, and then in the evening, when my grandmother gave me the signal, I would set out on a journey to the end of the property, to collect my grandfather for dinner. Invariably the journey would seldom be a direct path, but instead involved frequent meandering as I was preoccupied with inner fantastical adventures. I believe the essence of a journey is that the arrival at the intended destination is never predictable nor necessarily guaranteed. Being in nature requires embracing greater mystery. I never take for granted how special it was to grow up on a farm, as I believe the opportunity is becoming more uncommon. In this painting I have chosen to use a popular icon for home, recurrent in computers and other technological devices. The painting symbolizes my ongoing search for a connection with nature in an increasing technological world.
