magician's kitchen

Original figurative painting depicting a vase being prepared with fresh flowers atop a kitchen bench; in the background is a cabinet, window and plug socket. Acrylic, gouache and glitter glue. 100cm x 50cm (unframed). 

Professional framing can be arranged. Please select 'framed'. This will be in an ash wood canvas floater frame, either left plain or painted and varnished in a complementary shade. I will reach out to discuss your preferences after purchase. 

"This scene draws on card number one in the Rider-Waite tarot deck, ‘The Magician’. in the original image, the instruments from each of the four suits - wands, cups, pentacles and swords - are set out on the bench before him. The idea is that he has all of the tools necessary for creating magic. It’s a card of empowerment. Magic is arguably just another word for taking action with the right tools & bringing about change/transformation as a result."

"I’ve been thinking lately about how painting is a kind of alchemy. It transforms the material into the immaterial & takes something fairly low value - assorted painting supplies - and turns that into something of potentially far higher value. However, a mindful, very everyday act like pausing to cut and arrange flowers is also potentially transformative. Taking a moment to stop and care for oneself and space in a small way has the power to dramatically boost a day, stopping a negative spiral and even setting you off on a positive trajectory. An activity like this gives us an opportunity for gratitude and reflection even when the world is burning around us. That is not to be underestimated because it allows us to go on." 

"In my version, there’s two instruments - a rose and a pair of scissors to cut them. I’m an intuitive artist who plans and shapes the painting as I go, rather than ahead of time. all I knew initially was that I wanted to create a big still life with a display of flowers at the centre. Then I wanted to add scissors. Then one uncut flower on the table. I noticed the similarity to the ‘Magician’ card & leant into that. A lot of other elements changed, but what was on the work bench stayed consistent."

"I can see why the rose and scissors resonated. I often create botanical works and collages so I like that they speak to that - but it’s more than that too. Painting is my personal magic for transforming my mindset and mood. And the objects on the table represent the basic materials I need for it. The flower is the subject - the focus - the image or idea that’s going to be pruned. The scissors are the tool - the paintbrush - the hands - the magic wand - the thing that helps you get from A to B - creativity, arguably. When combined, they give you something much bigger and more complex (an arrangement of flowers, a painting); something new, too."