Alexandra Hayles

My life long passion for the sea forms the subject matter of what I seek on canvas. The way I paint is influenced by my personal need to portray the strength of the ocean. The act of painting is a personal search that is both mental and physical. I look both for questions and for the painting itself. The interaction between water and coastline is the visual means by which I seek to portray the importance of understanding the 'Big picture'. In other words, the context in which all things exist. In what context do we approach subjects and how do relationships shift are important considerations. Some of my recent paintings are an exploration of borders. On canvas I seek to play with the idea of trying to find the borderline between the sea and the shore. Borders in a picture can be used as a mirror for the socially constructed mental barriers that we all have as individuals and the exploration of our capacity to overcome them.