My paintings usually contain at least one figure as the representation of my thinking. The settings are mainly interiors, often cramped rooms containing the situation/event and this is further framed by the canvas edge which can evoke a tension in the viewer. My technique and process has changed over the years. Early works began with saturated solutions of paint dripping down the canvas creating a loosely controlled base undercoat of transparent colours. This would then be worked over with opaque layers forming the image. The loose freedom of the dripping base has been tightened up in recent paintings but used still on occasions.
In college I began creating a separate image under the painting. This was achieved by first drawing with glue in relief on the blank canvas. The dripping paint would react to the relief text/image, making to flow in a semi controlled manner. Once this dried a second image could be painted on top. Sometimes the images were complimentary and other times in contrast.
The glue image changed over time to glue text. Most of my paintings will feature the underlying text or second image. The viewer is often drawn in by the innate need to decipher the under-image/text (which may not be easily read) and as a result spends more time with my work.
One of my early pieces “The Betrayer” shows a figure in a bedroom reading. He is half dressed and sits on the bed, running his hand through his hair. The text under the image is a diary extract written by a girl. This piece was the forerunner of the change from image to text.
Another piece called “Prelude to a lie” shows a couple by a tree with a lake in the background. The male is laughing, where as the female character has her head hung low and hand raised to brush back her hair. Viewers will differ on who they believe is about to tell the lie. This was an attempt to catch a small catalyst moment in time.
Two early self-portraits, (both containing underlying text) have very strong influences in classical painting. “A different light” and “A Pale Fire”. “A different light” contains a painting within the painting. “The Death of Marat” by Jacques-Louis David dominates most of the picture surface. It operates as the background of the painting with the artist (myself) working in front, drawing the viewer. The second contains myself in a relaxed pose with an extinguished candle and a reflective sphere in my hand. Quite often I my self-portraits are about me the artist and my other works are a reflection of me the person.
My earliest painting influences were the works of the Pre-Raphaelites. Their inspiration from literature was part of it, but mainly I was drawn to the emotional content in their figures. “The Lady of Shallot “is a painting I visit again and again whenever I am in London. The techniques (chiaroscuro, sfumato and others)and palette colour of earlier masters such as Caravaggio, Ingres and Titian astounded me and still leave me experiencing Stendhal's syndrome* on occasion.
I continue to use classical techniques of blending, and tonal work and on occasion have used egg-tempera with my pigments. The introduction of gold-leaf to sections of my paintings is also tribute to past art and adds a different surface again to my work. This mixture of surfaces, images and text are building blocks for all my art.
I have been careful not to limit my palette however it has been influenced by certain items/symbols etc. that feature in my work, mainly the peacock feather (the wide variety of colours in this does allow great freedom) and the “All seeing eye”. These two symbols in my work act as polar opposites for me. The peacocks feather containing an eye that is decorative rather than functional (represents those who refuse to see the world) and the “all seeing eye” is a symbol for those people that do (usually artists, writers etc). My inclusion of them both is a constant reminder to myself and those that follow my art of the need to see the world in a grain of sand and god in the details.
