#20: Not Always About Art: The Unlikely Inspirations Behind My Work
Inspiration doesn’t always come from a gallery. Lately, mine’s come from comedy podcasts, nostalgic indie tracks, and an unforgettable Flat Moon gig involving a theremin and a gold telephone. Here's how these unexpected influences are sneaking into my paintings.
Life Leaks In: How the Rest of My World Shapes My Work
I used to think the studio was a space apart from everything else—but life has a way of leaking in. In this blog post, I reflect on how moods, moments, and the everyday shape my process as a painter, sometimes in quiet ways, sometimes not so quietly at all.
Thinking Bigger: What I’ve Learned from Larger Canvases
Lately, I’ve started working on larger canvases—and it’s changed everything. Not just how I paint, but how I move, think, and relate to the people in my paintings. It’s a shift in scale that’s opened up a new kind of presence in the work.
The Urge to Hurry vs. the Need to Slow Down
Impatience is a constant companion in the studio—but the work never rushes just because I want it to. In this post, I explore the tension between urgency and patience in my creative process, and how some of my best breakthroughs come not in the act of painting, but in the pause that follows.
What Makes a Face Paintable? A Portrait Artist's Reflection
Not every face wants to be painted. In this post, I reflect on what draws me to certain people—not because of how they look, but because of what they hold. It's not about features. It's about presence.
From Subject to Self: A Walk Through the National Portrait Gallery
A recent visit to the National Portrait Gallery left me thinking about how portraiture has shifted over time—from being all about the sitter, to becoming a reflection of the artist. In this post, I explore that transformation, and where my own work fits into the story.
The Emotional Palette: How Colours Influence Feelings in My Art
For a long time, my work existed in black and white. Stripped of colour, it was all about contrast, form, and texture—letting light and shadow do the storytelling. There was a purity to it, a directness that I loved. But recently, I felt something shifting. A pull towards something richer, something more layered. So, I made a change.
I started working with colour.
At first, it felt like learning a new language—exciting but uncertain. Colour is an entirely different way of thinking, a different way of seeing. Where black and white allowed me to focus on stark, bold compositions, colour introduced a new dimension of emotion and energy. Suddenly, my work wasn’t just about what was being depicted, but how it felt, how it moved, how it resonated through shades and tones.