Alchemy explores the transformation of the photographic image through experimentation with movement, layering and traditional artistic processes. The photograph is often only the starting point; through techniques including Intentional Camera Movement, encaustic wax and, in some works, the addition of gold leaf, familiar subjects are pushed towards something more painterly and abstract.

I am interested in what happens when photography moves beyond simply recording what is in front of the camera. Images can be disrupted, layered, softened or obscured, allowing colour, movement, texture and atmosphere to become as important as the original subject.

There is also something deliberately anachronistic about combining a contemporary photographic process with materials and techniques that have been used by artists for centuries. Encaustic wax and gold leaf introduce a physical, tactile element to the work, making the finished pieces sit somewhere between photography, painting and mixed media.

The title Alchemy reflects that process of transformation — taking something recognisable and changing it into something less easily defined.