Pete's Place

An antiquated double staircase at Sydney Hospital becomes a study in architecture, light and shadow. Pale walls and green-painted steps emerge from deep blue-black shadows, while foliage casts a shifting pattern across the building and the vivid red ground. The contrast between the solidity of the architecture and the irregularity of the surrounding vegetation gives the scene its particular character.

The painting is named in honour of Pete, a friend whose suggestion led to the discovery of this overlooked place.

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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.