My work largely revolves around the grief I carry for my late father Patrick, or better known from his nickname "Happy" who was killed in a stabbing in 2007. His sudden loss and way in which he passed had a profound impact on me, and I've struggled with grief and the idea of his memory fading over time. As the years pass, my memories, his face and his voice become less clear. What has helped me cope with this feeling is finding new ways to reconnect with my father, particularly through nature and the world around me. The significance of materials has become a central part of my practice. For example, I used the grass from his grave and my family garden to create these anthotype prints. By incorporating the grass, it feels as though a piece of him is present within the work. One of the most beautiful aspects of anthotypes is that they gradually fade over time, much like my own memories I have of my father. I’ve come to understand that it's important not to obsess over what I will eventually forget, but rather to cherish the memories I hold now. Although his physical body is no longer here, he still lives on in the grass that grows from his grave, in my mother who took both parental roles and in the details of me and my sisters face. I find comfort in looking for my father in the beauty of everyday life, and in that, I know he's never really gone.
