Category: Artist Review

The Swans (2024) seems, at first glance of the photograph, a peaceful and happy moment with two figures holding children on the shore watching a group of two swans swimming by. The swans seem to be drifting towards them, yet one can see the solitude disrupted when one looks above them and further out into…

Water (2007) is a vibrant macro photograph of a water droplet. The leaf’s colours and structure in the background make it as though the water droplet is perhaps a microorganism. The water droplet would usually just be something that a viewer would simply ignore or think is mundane; however, turning it into the focal point…

Untitled #4 is a monochrome black-and-white photograph of a dogwood blossom. By stripping the colour of the blossom, we are brought to view the veins, shadows, and blemishes. These textures create an intricate flower that guides us as it seems to unfold, each petal seeming to do from the centre. Furthermore, this helps to give…

Saguaro Lake (2025) is both realistic and slightly abstracted simultaneously as it uses a slightly geometrically abstract stylisation. Snyder is personally connected to the Sonoran Desert, which gives a much more personal perspective on this scene. The angular way that the background and the horses are painted gives a pristine feel to the painting. The…

The Flow (2022) is a set of three panels in acrylic on canvas, which all connect (or, more appropriately, flow) while also being distinct individually. The work was created while Messner was being assessed for autism, making the work much more personal to the artist and reflecting the growing discovery of this during its creation.…

Stepping Stone (2024) is found wood which is extremely weathered and textured from being used as a stepping stone and this texture is most likely a result of the wear and tear of people using it as one. The mud has decayed the wood; however, the wood was retrieved, cleaned and now serves as a…

Growth (2024) is a photograph of the overgrowth of ivy taking over a concrete wall which reclaims the usually industrial material with an organic and natural element. It has successfully captured nature taking back the world from human interference and removing the rigidity and sharpness of human architecture. The viewers attention is brought to the…

The L’antscrape series showcases works with wood ants to create an active work that allows nature to mould, erode and transform the semi-rotten timbers placed to be terraformed into their nest. The resulting biological artworks (as they have used the ant’s natural biological processes to create the work) are stunning, organic and highly intricate. Each…

Winter Lake (2025) presents a solitary scene set in the winter of a frozen lake; this peacefulness and solitude are exemplified by the use of pastel, which creates a soft and warm work. The work itself is plein air, which gives this lake a much more personal connection from Markava, helping us see the scene…

Shed Salty Tears Part 1 (2024) is an installation of ceramic and reclaimed material sculptures which exemplify its concern for the oceans which are in the process of being destroyed by humans. The centre of the installation showcases a female bust that expresses sadness and has an elongated neck. This sadness seems to be directed…