Al-Ilmām

Al-Ilmām — “The Brief Encounter” — depicts a young woman waiting quietly within the richly decorated interior of an Andalucian palace. Her dark figure stands against the cool light of an arched window, looking towards the garden beyond. Warm ochres, deep blues and the intricate detail of the architecture contrast with the broad, almost empty walls and the strong geometry of the light across the floor. The painting is concerned as much with what remains unseen as with what is present: the anticipation of a secret encounter, the architecture that conceals it, and the moment before something happens.

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I loved to draw and paint from a very early age. I was fascinated by the capability of artists to bring to life the world around them; to represent form, light and shade; to create three dimensions within two.

Simultaneously I was drawn to photography. From my earliest self-processed black and white prints to the sophistication of modern digital manipulation, I have always taken pictures.

In my professional life I established and ran successful creative businesses in London, Luxembourg, Malaga, Berlin and Sydney. I held senior roles in prominent design practices and advertising agencies, including the creative directorship of Europe's first online service.

More recently I taught design at universities and design schools in Sydney, Australia and Southern Spain with particular focus upon sustainable design thinking, human-centred design and developing successful design practice.

I began my career as a junior illustrator in London. It's therefore appropriate that with more time on my hands these days I should return to my first love.