I had never really given much thought to the meaning of ‘tension’ in sculpture, until I produced my latest pieces and it dawned on me that’s exactly what I’d been striving for throughout all my ‘Under Pressure’ explorations.

It’s about movement. It’s about energy. It’s about making your audience feel or question whether there’s something else going on.

It creates a psychological and emotional impact, often through elements that defy gravity.

An imbalance held in permanent suspension, if you will.

One of my latest pieces, which I’ve entitled ‘Confessions’, encompasses all of these things and I would say is the work that provoked my epiphany. (Pictured above in the centre, forefront).

The head is thrown back as if in emotional disarray. The disconnected hands of another, floating in mid-air, reach out – pulling the subject in one direction whilst pushing it away in the other. When I came up with the concept behind this piece I was attempting to recreate the inner turmoil we all experience via the choices we are forced to make in our daily lives. Whether it’s the decision to leave or stay in a job, a relationship, or even a country, or the urge to do things that we know are not in our best interests or perhaps of those nearest to us. It’s the confusion caused by the push and pull of life, sometimes driven by the behaviours of others.

The title came when I was photographing the piece for my online gallery. In particular this close-up shot from above:

I am not a religious person, but something about it spoke to me of spirituality and faith in whichever form it might take. It seemed that during this moment of internal struggle there was a search for succour from above. That need for guidance that we all look for in times of difficulty but which in turn requires an element of confession.

These are just some of the thoughts that have crossed my mind when considering this piece and I hope the reactions of my audience will be wide and varied.

Despite having passed the midway mark in life, I’m not afraid to admit I’m still learning. This is all still relatively new to me having recently undertaken a change in direction, and not for the first time. I think if we’re lucky enough to survive this long on earth and have paid heed to a number of life’s lessons, it’s fertile ground on which to sow the seeds of a new project – namely ourselves. Personally, I try to see aging in a positive light and so have taken to calling it my ‘second life’.  Want to join me?

(All three pieces shown above are now available via the online shop.)