smoke figures
Emotional Release Through Charcoal
Smoke Figures is a series of three charcoal illustrations on thick watercolour paper that came from a deeply intuitive process. As I worked, the charcoal seemed to lead me, allowing me to express emotions I had been surfacing. The rough, smudged, and raw texture of the medium felt right for letting go of those feelings—especially the sense of displacement I was experiencing being far from home.
Expressing My Journey Away from Home
I created this series during a significant time in my life, when I had just moved away from my parents’ house for the first time after receiving a scholarship to study fine art in Sydney. It was both exciting and overwhelming. Being away from home brought up a lot of emotions—longing, independence, and uncertainty. The smudginess of the charcoal became a reflection of my inner state, capturing the push and pull of these feelings.
Charcoal’s Perfect Imperfection
Charcoal was the perfect medium for this work. Its messiness mirrored the complexity of my emotional state during this transition. The way it smeared and scratched the surface allowed me to convey the vulnerability I was feeling. The figures that emerged from the charcoal feel transient, smoky, and fragile—just like the emotions I was trying to process during this time.
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