Learning about bees and the hive became a passion. Bees are completely independent of you. They are not yours. Yet you have a sense of responsibility for the quality of their lives, their larger environment and the site you created for them. Is there a viable queen? How well is she laying? Is that the sound of a healthy hive? Are the bees fat and healthy or are the young bees struggling? Is there a flash of early morning light hitting the hive to excite the start of their day?
My relationship with bees grew out of curiosity and into a kind of love affair. I thought about them obsessively and learnt a lot about the inner workings of the hive. I adored the sights, sounds and smells of the hive, and these preoccupations set me wondering about how I might combine two passions - and be both artist and beekeeper.
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