Chromosomal Lottery

Description

Composition A heavily textured abstract work built through successive layers of paint, ink, pastel and texture mediums. Surfaces have been built up, cracked, sanded back and reworked over time, creating a complex landscape of colour, texture and mark-making. Elements created by the artist's daughter are incorporated into the work, making it both a personal reflection and a collaborative act of creation. The intuitive process allowed unexpected forms and associations to emerge naturally within the composition. Colour Rich pinks, reds and metallic golds dominate the surface, intersected by vibrant passages of blue and darker contrasting marks. Colours merge, separate and reappear through successive layers, creating a sense of movement and unpredictability. The palette reflects the complexity and diversity of human experience, with each layer contributing to the character of the whole. Origin & Meaning Chromosomal Lottery was inspired by the artist's experience as the parent of a child with chromosomal differences and multiple disabilities. Rather than focusing on limitation or loss, the work reflects on the role of chance in shaping every human life. Genetics, health, ability, circumstance and opportunity are distributed unevenly and often unpredictably, influencing who we become long before we have any control over the outcome. The work acknowledges this randomness while celebrating the individuality that emerges from it. Layered Meaning The title refers to the unpredictability of genetic inheritance but extends beyond genetics alone. Family, environment, health, education, social circumstances and opportunity all interact in complex ways throughout a person's life. Some of these influences bring challenges, others bring strengths, and many arise purely through chance. Together they contribute to the unique and unrepeatable story of each individual. Process & Chance Chance played an active role in the creation of this work. Layers were added, disrupted, cracked, sanded back and reworked, allowing unexpected forms and patterns to emerge throughout the process. The final image was not entirely predetermined but evolved through experimentation, response and discovery. In this way, the creative process mirrors the central idea of the work itself: that identity is shaped through a complex interplay of genetics, circumstance, experience and possibility. The result is an acknowledgement of life's inherent unpredictability and the beauty that can arise from it.