'Gratitude Blooms', a solo show by Stephen Doherty showcases exquisite floral artworks, conceived during an artist residency in Goa. 

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‘My focus is on the flower as a celebration of nature; the power behind its softness, and the pulsing rhythm of the bloom. During Goa's monsoon season, I was an artist in residence with Aamir Art House. There was a sense of cleansing and renewal as flowers came into bloom. Trees grew upwards and weaved throughout buildings. Nature was embraced rather than cut back.

The repetitive act of flowers being laid in temples and tied as offerings to shrine gates highlights the use of hands in performative daily acts of gratitude.

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As the marigold offerings curled and browned, new blooms were cut short as they wilted in the thick heat, breaking apart at their centres.

Goa's stormy sunsets, the pink-red earth and weathered surfaces bleed their way into the colours and textures of my pieces.

The themes of repeated ritual and cleansing resonate with my focus on the flower and my practice of building up washes with ink and water. In this instance, each painting becomes a record of a performed reflective act of gratitude.’

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This body of work was developed while on residency in Porvorim, Goa with Aamir Art House in 2018.

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Curated by Bex Cassie, and scented by Floral Street Fragrances.