The power of love, being in love and sexual attraction is extraordinary, some of my work is essentially about this. As in literature, a kiss, a caress, a lover’s gaze, or burning explicit stares, to witness overwhelming passion, I want to ultimately try to capture this in each piece. Then there is colour, I am completely seduced by colour, so this is an important aspect of my work. I work intuitively during the whole process, building the work in layers and using techniques learnt in Florence, Italy.
My work has a number of elements to it, the first is about the image itself, either taken or collected, I don’t want to make an exact replica of it, but to alter it in some way. The image influences the paintings, to make it ‘intriguing’ so there is a connection with the viewer.
I always start with colour, colour is very personal, and usually my favourite way of starting a painting then there is texture and mark making, little nuances of 'deliciousness', these hidden 'bits' that you have to search for in a piece is what turns me on.
Initially I lay the surface on a flat table and let the paint do its own thing, dancing and flowing around the surface, the outcome is unknown but exciting. When dry, I chose an image from the array I have either taken or collected. This next part is intuitive as I reveal or conceal the figure, allowing 'delicious' parts of the ground to be seen through the flesh of the figure.
Whenever I travel, I always visit galleries to view my favourite artists work. I love the Renaissance painters, in particular Titian, de Ribera, Caravaggio and Bronzino. I love a range of artists including Hockney, Schiele, Whiteley, Bacon, Saville, Basquiat, Ingres and Bouguereau to name but a few.