Generally speaking, existing in the now, or presence, is valued over absence. It is ranked above the absent in terms of importance, or in other words, the invisible takes a back seat to the visible. Examples which allude to this include ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and ‘what we don’t see can’t hurt us’.

But I challenge this hierarchical idea, because there is indeed huge importance in what is not seen!

Living at the edge of industrial south Wales on the beautiful Gower peninsula my work perspective, unsurprisingly, is one of concerned coastal inhabitant. Consequently, rising seas, the impact of industrialisation, scientific analysis and the resilience of the natural world are principal components in my work. But these elements are all either imperceptible or invisible, so does this reduce their importance?

Through my collaboration with Dr Joanne Johnson of BAS, and material experimentations, I explore this binary emphasis. In coalescing reflections of our industrial past with Polar climate research relating to sea level prediction, I shift prominence to that which cannot be seen within that which can, illuminating the invisible within the visual.

Intrigued by the idea that something can be there but not there, I wonder how it might be possible to make physical something that isn’t? So I use extreme temperature, local geology, ice, metals and painting to challenge the hierarchical notion of presence over absence and redress the balance.

Giving visibility to the invisible and tangibility to the intangible brings new perspective to deliver enhanced impact, both to scientific data and to that which hides in plain sight. This contributes positively to a greater understanding of our current environmental situation and to recognising that human beings are a part of the world not apart from it.

A selection of Artwork, experiments, results and process from our ongoing collaboration.