Cow Town

"Cow Town" is the unofficial name of this remote settlement in the Queensland outback. A former iron ore mining and smelting centre it is now much diminished, hosting a few remaining families and an awful lot of cows. I wanted to express the harshness of the environment and the toughness of those that continue to call it home. Beyond the edge of town the railway goes nowhere; a fitting metaphor perhaps?

The painting forms part of a developing theme that explores the effects of light and shade on the built form and the interaction of life within it. The everyday topics encourage viewers to explore the space within and to re-appraise their own environment in this context.

I work predominantly in acrylic on canvas board as I appreciate both the flexibility and precision that it allows. This is particularly important in developing the vibrance and saturation that I look for in my choice of colour, subject matter and the effective of light upon it.

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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.