#51: A Christmas Thank You — and Looking Ahead
As the year comes to a close, I wanted to pause and say thank you. This has been my first full year working consistently from the studio, and the support I’ve received along the way has meant a great deal. In this post, I reflect on the year just gone, finishing my submission for the HSFK Portrait Award 2026, and looking ahead to what’s next in the new year.
#49: Finished for Saltaire — and Already Brainstorming the Next Chapter
After finishing and submitting my three paintings for the Saltaire Gallery Winter Show, the studio feels different — quieter, but full of possibility. In this post, I reflect on completing that chapter and turning my focus toward new ideas for the upcoming HSFK Portrait Award 2026 at the National Portrait Gallery.
#46: Back to the Brush
After weeks of moiré experiments and technical tests, I’ve finally returned to painting — beginning my reinterpretation of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam. In this post, I reflect on the shift from preparation to brushwork, and the unique fulfilment painting brings.
#44: The Mathematics Behind the Moiré
Moiré patterns look almost magical — waves and distortions that shift as you move — but beneath that strangeness lies complex mathematics. In this post, I reflect on the hidden geometry behind moiré and why, as an artist, I prefer to feel it in the studio rather than calculate it on paper.
#43: When the Studio Feels Like a Laboratory
Lately my studio looks less like a studio and more like a laboratory — Perspex sheets, varnish tests, and failed scraps scattered everywhere. In this post, I reflect on the role of experimentation in my moiré portrait project, and why research and failure are as essential as paint.
#35: Back to the Studio – Finding Quiet After the Show
Holmfirth Artweek has come to a close, and I’ve returned to the studio — quieter, messier, and full of possibility. In this week’s post, I reflect on the shift from public display back to private process, and the quiet clarity that follows the buzz of an exhibition.
#34: The Show Has Just Finished — But I’m Already Thinking About What’s Next
While Holmfirth Artweek is just wrapping up, I’ve noticed something familiar stirring — the quiet return of curiosity. My mind is already starting to drift toward what might come next. This post reflects on that creative in-between and the gentle momentum that follows the high of a show.
#28: What I Bring Into the Studio (That Has Nothing to Do with Art)
I walk into the studio carrying more than just my brushes — there’s mood, memory, music, tiredness, joy. In this post, I reflect on how the invisible parts of life shape the work, even when I’m not trying — and why I’ve learned to let them in.
#26: The Good Studio Days / When It Just Works
Some days in the studio, everything just clicks. The colours land right, the brush moves with ease, and the process feels less like work and more like something you're lucky to be part of. This post is a quiet celebration of those rare, golden days — and why they matter.
#25: Why I Sometimes Work on Sundays
Yesterday, I found myself in the studio on a quiet Sunday — not because I had to, but because I wanted to. In this post, I explore the difference between duty and desire, and how balancing work and rest is part of what keeps the painting — and me — alive.
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.