The Head of Wa

Waste Cardboard, Pva Glue, Acrylic Paint 2021 80cm in Circumference

I began a journey of self improvement in early January 2021 and with help I began to uncover the masks I wore in my life.

The character of Wa was a persona that I had inhabited in public for many years using alcohol to give myself a bravado which I was unable to find within myself.

Today I have found a freedom to express myself emotionally and through my creative practice with a clarity which I could not have imagined.

I began the piece on day 1 of therapy in a residential treatment centre, using waste cardboard from the kitchens, to be worn when sharing in group therapy as a physical mask freeing me to release the emotional mask I carried within me.

I completed it when I left and continued to return to my true self. I create on a daily basis, and will be eternally grateful to have the ability to translate my thoughts in a tangible way yet leave the viewer to their own interpretation of the work.