Ideas and Inspiration

My paintings are largely inspired by a mix of nostalgia from my own childhood along with watching my own two young kids grow up. Not necessarily making any comparisons, but being reminded of my younger years and how my kid�s life today differs in these modern times, yet in many ways mirror my own childhood.

An idea for a painting can come from anywhere really. Usually from a memory or experience of when I was young or by observing something my kids might do. I try to imagine what�s going on in their heads, and wonder what they are thinking, and this sometimes triggers similar thoughts that I may have had at the same age. I then want to put these memories and stories into an image. Although my kids provide the majority of inspiration for my work, paintings can also been influenced by a particular song, by something I have seen or read in the news or a conversation I have had or heard, all relating to childhood and particularly the comparisons with differing generations.

I�m not sure how I came about making the paintings look the way they do. I know I wanted it to be very simple, yet have something significant happening in them. Keeping the landscape plain and white means there is no outside interference with the essence of the narrative. The focus is then solely on the characters themselves, all the same (as though they could easily just be the one person,) yet all painted as individuals.

I have been influenced and have admired work by many painters in the past, most notably that of Andy Warhol, LS Lowry and Jackson Pollock.

From Palette to Picture

I work in acrylics, mainly because I always have done, but I find the medium suits my na�ve style of painting best. It�s fast drying which means I can just get on with it, but I can play with it enough to get the desired look and effect. I begin by applying a few thick coats of white to the canvas to get a nice fresh background, then after drawing each figure and applying their shadows, basic colour to their clothing and skin tone is added. Later shading to the clothing and skin as well as the hair colour is also added. The composition of the figures is pretty much made up as I go along, although the main focal characters have usually been predetermined on where they will be placed. Any further details are added at the very end, most of which is usually added to the main subject matter in the paintings, this is the most enjoyable part for me!

Current and Previous Exhibitions

Artery Gallery, St Andrews 2006 �
Westover Gallery, Bournemouth 2008
Castle Galleries, Birmingham 2008 �
Chelmer Fine Art, Essex 2008 �
Castle Galleries, (27 galleries UK wide) Nov and Dec 2008
Castle Galleries, Leamington Spa 2009