Shuriken was made during a residency with Castlefield Gallery in Manchester. It is part of a series of work that focuses heavily on materiality and the objecthood of painting, using wood, hardboard and plywood. The surfaces of the paintings made during this time are typically pared down with a subtle yet rich colour palette.

Being in Manchester after I finished university was the first time I’d lived in a big city. I began to be influenced by the architectural elements and hard lines of the city in paintings such as Shuriken and I was led towards the pairing of geometric elements with a freer painterly language.

After meticulous experimentation with collage on the surface of the piece, I arrived at a composition which was very simple, and which allowed the focus to remain with the initial gestural marks.

The support is handmade, substantial and weighty. The materials were selected for their textual qualities and their ability to withstand multiple layers of paint. The handling of paint and the interaction between the medium and the raw surface upon which it is applied remains a primary consideration in my practice.