I returned to painting 4 years ago and work in oil, mainly on
wooden board. My practise starts with small story-board
sketches, these are influenced by how I see the everyday.
Working out the composition and pallet before setting up the still
life, just as a food stylist, photographer, producer and client
would arrange a shoot. Selecting objects from my kitchen and
selection of props in the studio and around my home or seeking
out produce and recipes that inspire me. This enables me to
create not just from life but also from memory, using my
perspective and not just what I see in front of me.
My inspiration comes from simple objects, the colours, textures
and marks revealing their past and present, especially those
with a haptic quality. I combine these with the colours of the ear
changing landscape and ocean that surround me where I live or
venture to on travels. .
It is a constant struggle to break free from objective work which
is so engrained in me from art school and years working in
photography. The most simple things are the most difficult,
having learned and followed the rules, to now give myself
permission to express how I see my subject, my personal view.
Inspired by many artists but my favourites I look to on repeat
are mainly Matisse, Lartuigue, Adams, and Penn.
