Basement Jack - A4 Oil Pastel on Cartridge Paper - Sealed

Basement Jack - A4 Oil Pastel on Cartridge Paper - Sealed with acrylic varnish - includes removeable plastic mount frame

This is a recurring character in my work and I believe that it is once again the childlike spirit of my younger self. The emotional turmoil and otherworldy inner perspective of being undiagnosed AUDHD is shown in the fiercely turbulant colours that swirl behind the calm/serious demeanour that I now know was a mixture of masking, and processing the world around me. Everything moved so fast, there was so much chaos and so much change, I simply couldn't express is all in real time and is sat inside my soul, wrapped around my brain, and spun like a hurrican through my heart.

Thy androgynous features, the accepting gaze, the contrast of calm and chaos.

As a child I chose many boys names for myself. As a child I kept my emotions locked down in the basement of my skull. As a child, I saw it all and felt it all and showed nothing, thought I tried to show it all.

This piece is instrinsically linked to 'Without a Dove' - another piece that shows this same character - this child that reflects the child I still haven't resolved within my veins. And maybe I never will. Maybe this character doesn't keep returning. Maybe they just never left.