'Prayer' is a finalist in the 69th Blake Art Prize

Artist Statement.

When my father passed away a few years ago, I started to pray again to help me deal with my grief. The comfort of knowing there is something greater allowed me to believe that maybe my Dad was in heaven, happily enjoying a beer with his mates.

This painting addresses my journey back to prayer. I have placed a young girl, signifying innocence, in the center of a collage of toy soldiers. The soldiers represent war and the worst in us. They are covered in gold leaf as a metaphor for the evils in the world that are carried out under a guise of moral righteousness.

Perhaps if we pray and reflect, we will improve ourselves and become more tolerant, and senseless wars will end. The act of praying is not just about asking for things from a higher being; it is a reflection on our own actions and a hope for the future."