An essay titled 'Fathom'[1] sparked this new series of paintings. Shared by a marine ecologist friend and fellow ocean swimmer, the essay brought together diverse perspectives - from anthropologists to free divers, philosophers to marine scientists, dancers to spatial theorists. While 'fathom' literally measures ocean depth, the richly layered viewpoints in this collaborative piece inspired me to explore different forms of depth in my own work: physical, material and conceptual.

Like the multiple voices in 'Fathom', my paintings acknowledge that art creation is inherently collaborative - each piece builds upon generations of influence. In these works, I particularly channel the spirit of Helen Frankenthaler, whose pioneering use of colour guides my practice.

This idea of layered perspectives extends into my technique. The paintings integrate hand-dyed threads and stitching, not as traditional embroidery, but as another form of drawing or painting. I view the cotton canvas as a thread-based foundation, with my stitching rearranging rather than adding to its surface. Each thread carries natural colour: blues from indigo plant (Indigofera tinctoria), reds from morinda root (Morinda officinalis), and yellows from Jack tree heartwood (Cryptocarya glaucescens).

I dyed these threads in 2020 at Threads of Life, an ethical textile studio in Ubud, Bali. While natural dyes have always attracted me, I'm mindful of their limitations in availability and permanence. Instead of applying dyes directly to canvas, I use these naturally dyed threads as an important element for creating these new works - another layer in the dialogue between material, influence, and exploration.

[1] Pratt, Susanne, Camila Marambio, Killian Quigley, Sarah Hamylton, Leah Gibbs, Adriana Vergés, Michael Adams, Ruth Barcan, and Astrida Neimanis. "Fathom." Environmental Humanities 12, no. 1 (2020): 173-178