‘Clockwise’ is an ironic title as this piece explores time-blindness, a symptom of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This condition is frequently characterised by an alternative internal perception of the arc of time where time is perceived and experienced differently from neurotypical people. Alice wears a wig and is dressed as The Hatter, resonating with the Hatter’s similar uneasy relationship with his watch. The clock in the artwork is nebulous, hanging in midair without a chain, presenting the idea of floating, or existing within an unrooted world of time fluidity. The numerals have been inverted, signifying chaos and a defiance towards the laws of physics; the nature of time has been altered. Alice’s hands have become the hands of the clock as life is being lived according to her own sense of time and her playful stance indicates she is oblivious to the passing of time as she occupies her own Wonderland. Her loose, shapeless, gender-neutral clothing, with untied shoelaces, conveys a sense of personal chaos. Yet, her powerful pose shows she has assumed this identity unapologetically and gives the impression she has, in fact, halted time. The green background represents a sense of personal harmony within this alternative, unstructured universe, whereas onlookers may be envious that time is deemed so irrelevant.

This artwork presents Alice dressed in fairy tale blue - these traditional colours emphasise her imposed identity. She is locked behind the garden wall desperately trying to emerge into Wonderland. The title, ‘Coming Out’ is a reference to the individual’s gradual emergence to become empowered by embracing their authentic self. The onlooker can see the wall is not insurmountable and it should not be difficult to make the transition to ‘come out’ – it’s a simple act: ‘Stand up and step over Alice!’ This artwork recognises ‘coming out’ can be difficult for many people who may fear rejection when they reveal their true selves. They often remain imprisoned behind a wall of a pseudo-identity until they courageously make the step to fully embrace their authentic selves openly. The foreground shows Two of Spades frantically painting the white roses red to please the Queen of Hearts, illustrating how the individual often fears societal consequences and ‘masks’ to fit in. Seven of Spades has opted to be his true self, readily embracing his identity, seen in the rainbow-coloured spades on his card (representative of the LGBTQ+ community). The multi-coloured rose is a reminder the world can be inclusive and more beautiful by embracing diversity, but the individual must be brave enough to challenge perceived societal norms and actively choose to celebrate and own their uniqueness – whatever that may be. Only then can our world be ‘Wonderland’ again.

This artwork reflects the chaos of life and explores ‘Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder’ (OCPD). For many people life is a struggle, and many are coping (often privately), with a diverse range of mental health issues (reported to be 1 in 4 adults / 1 in 10 children in the UK).  ‘Let’s Play Croquet’ presents each character desperately trying to control their personal flamingo which replaces the mallet, referencing a similar game in the story of Alice in Wonderland. One of the cards forms a hoop and the Queen of Hearts is central to the picture desperately trying to control the erratic game. One girl is being chased by two flamingos and another has lost her flamingo. The girl in the foreground appears completely disconnected – representative of those who cope by withdrawing from life; instead, she finds therapeutic benefit in playing with animals. One man, clothed in a grey suit, appears to have succeeded in taming his flamingo and seems to have everything under control while others exist in chaos. His OCPD has led to an excessive level of order and perfectionism. This contrasts with the reality where life can frequently be a place of disarray, and we are all trying to tame our own personal ‘flamingo’. However, OCPD brings another level of stress adversely impacting mental well-being.

Through the Looking Glass challenges the viewer to recognise the importance of community to their mental and emotional well-being. The title is also a reference to Lewis Carroll’s sequel to ‘Alice in Wonderland’. For many today, life has become a place of isolation rather than connection; we have become onlookers rather than participants in our own lives. Particularly since Covid, we have lost our cities as more and more people choose to spend time working alone. Many now live their lives predominantly online: shopping, gaming, socialising and exercising. Occupying these ‘virtual’ worlds can negatively impact genuine social connection and lead to poor mental health. The bright colours of the city invite the viewer to reconnect with the vibrancy and excitement that ‘real’ life can offer.

Description goes her‘Eat Me’ explores body dysmorphia and eating disorders. Set at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, the large skinny Alice sees a small plump Alice in her mind’s eye demonstrating self-perception is often distorted. The fictional plump Alice drives the narrative as she attempts to devour the already skinny Alice who allows her fixation with body shape to control her. Questions are also raised about the impact of fashion and eating disorders in Alice’s cake-like skirt. The background mushrooms allude to how eating disorders can be used as a form of self-control as mushrooms are used as mechanisms for growing or reducing size in Carroll’s novel. The cups and teapot feature card suits but Clubs are missing as the two Alices have formed their own unseen ‘club’ together. Finally, the ‘Eat Me’ key symbolises Alice’s desire to escape but reflects the idea that eating disorders can function as a prison of the mind and can be difficult to break free from.

This artwork presents an isolated character existing on the fringes of life. Set under the shadow of the iconic Belfast cranes, he is disengaged from the football game. His suit of clothes shows formality and is symbolic of his aversion to social norms; he doesn’t wear a cap like the other dockers. The shadows have been painted in thick impasto lines, conveying the movement of the dockers, yet the suited character remains uninvolved and static, choosing to occupy his own personal, internal world. This dislocation from others is representative of people who fervently desire to participate in life, but social and communication issues (such as characteristics associated with autism) can sometimes make this challenging to achieve. The other dockers encourage him to be involved but he remains frozen and detached from the others. Essentially, he’s there but not there.

Alice is enthralled by Grant Wood’s ‘American Gothic’ painting. Her dress, apron and bow replicate the texture and pattern of Nan Wood’s clothing, the artist’s sister, who modelled for Wood. This replication signifies Alice’s momentary escape into the idyllic life of smalltown America as depicted in the 1920s artwork. However, her escape isn’t just presented through admiring the framed picture on the wall; the pitchfork on the floor connect to the farmer’s pitchfork in a more disturbing manner. The sliced red pepper adds an ominous mood, along with a violent tattoo depicting a dagger driven through a rose entitled, ‘The Regulators’. Three imposing zip-like gashes on Alice’s arm indicate self-harming pointing to her emotional dysregulation. The olive oil in a bottle labelled with the imperative, ‘Pour Me’ (playing on the Alice in Wonderland theme of ‘Eat Me’ and ‘Drink Me’) is more positive as the oil presents a medicinal source of healing. This artwork explores self-harming which some people use as a means of escape and to self-regulate emotion.

‘Rule 42’ refers to a scene in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland where the King commands, All persons more than a mile high [are] to leave the court.’  This artwork explores the idea of being perceived as a misfit in society; the dark background conveys a bleak mood reinforcing the character’s dejection. The ruler measurement in the background has proven Alice is ‘a mile high’ and is no longer welcome. Her appearance presents a striking juxtaposition with the fairytale Alice; here she is dressed in her own clothes rather than in the usual flowery blue dress typically associated with her character. Her T-shirt reads ‘The Real Me’ as she has now embraced her authentic self, also seen in the tattoo etched on her arm, which is a statement of her individuality. Her forlorn expression conveys despondency, and she hides her emotion behind coloured glasses, whilst observing the seemingly unified pack of cards. Her lone sitting position contrasts starkly with the cards who have formed a circle holding hands. However, the belief that society is a safe place is shattered when the viewer observes that one of the cards has lost his head. Society has its own pitfalls and challenges; the idea that the wider community is always safe turns out to be a myth.

The Jester’s Muse presents a juxtaposition of two figures: a cleric in the background and a contemplative man in the foreground, quietly reading ‘Alice in Wonderland’. This self-portrait of Keith Drury presents his life journey as two people. The clergyman wears his clerical collar, but he also dons a jester’s cap which suggests Drury’s life as a cleric is now viewed by him as a performance. Furthermore, the jester is confined inside a picture frame, suggesting his life lacks freedom and is on display to the world. His raised hands convey a desire to escape from this restrictive public life. This artwork is not intended as a mockery of religion but suggests the church court can sometimes resemble a jester’s court which can detract from its core purpose. The character in the foreground, where the artist has become his own muse, presents a stark contrast to the jester and brings a sense of relief and calm. Reading Carroll’s novel brings escape from life’s circus – symbolic of how art has allowed Drury to find peace in a new vocation. Just as this self-portrait presents two very different poses (one public and one private) it also points to the spectrum of personalities in all of us. Instead of always performing in life’s ‘circus’, the viewer is challenged to embrace their authentic self.