WHY I LET A SUDUKO PUZZLE DECIDE

People often wonder why I use a dated Sudoku puzzle as the framework for these 365 paintings. It might sound rigid. For me, it’s about freedom.

This project builds on years of studio practice and my MA research into series and variation. I’ve long been interested in the order that sits beneath my abstract work.

The composition for the series is fixed. What shifts each day is the colour placement. Letting the dated grid guide my planned colour palette means paintings are discovered, not designed. I relinquish a degree of control and follow the logic of the system instead. The process becomes a mindful practice, and the act of painting a reward.

Why 365?

There will be one painting for every day of the year. Each one corresponds to a specific date, and when the date changes, the puzzle changes — so does the painting. There's no hierarchy in the system. It doesn't privilege certain days over others. It simply marks them.

What that date means is entirely yours. For one person, a day in May is ordinary. For someone else, it’s a birthday, an anniversary, or a milestone. The structure treats each day equally, while acknowledging that our lives do not.

Systems aren’t always cold. They can hold our attention, carry feelings, and reveal surprises. By year’s end, the 365 paintings will become a record of time passing. Each stands on its own, but together, they tell a bigger story.

I’m excited to see what the year reveals.