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Early Sketches From my first sketchbooks. These date from my foundation year in Hastings 1989, themes emerge here that have stayed with me through the years, particularly the arched bridge with mossy vine from a remote corner of Alexandra Park ~ Hastings. Also a human form derived from a horse skull. |
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Early Pastels These also date from my foundation year under Rod Harman's excellent tutorship, a rare gift of irresistable passion and enthusiasm! As in most areas of this website there are many more as yet undocumented. |
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Early Watercolours Mostly produced nocturnally at home, often re-working ideas in progress on studio oils. One take pieces. Early fantasy landscape forms come to the fore under the influence of fellow student Alexander Roberts, the human/horseskull form, becomes vulva then a single brushmark. |
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Early Paintings There are many other early paintings in the different themed sections, these remained uncategorised and hence appear here representing various directions as a student and shortly after. |
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Mid Sketches Still early sketches and drawings but from an unhappy time that was to continue for quite awhile... |
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Sorrow Series I had just seen the less famous 'Starry Night' by Munch, this one painting has possibly moved me more than any other, unfortunately i was in perfect receptive condition for it. |
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Totemic These are some of what I consider my strongest pieces, although the totem theme only emerges in 1995 after an unofficial tour of the Paris Catacombs. This selection includes most of my Degree show from 1993 as well as others I felt fitted into this underground / darkside theme, the desire for shared happiness to return whilst alone. |
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Later Sketches Here emerges the theme of portraits from memory, no photo's / sitters, of friends i hoped not to loose touch with. A positive idea and the first step towards some of the happier, observational pieces that soon followed. Peter Swords is a writer of wonderful poems that often turned up at the studio in the middle of the night to chat (:or to crash:), of all people I've done his portrait most, a good chap. |
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Later watercolours The first of these were produced in a flourish after completing the mural at Hove Lagoon. The joy in transition from working on such a scale with household paints to small jewel like watercolours was immense. |
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Later paintings Again a selection that didn't make it into the other categories, some maybe too colourful for the totems (or too black), portraits more to a concept than a likeness. The return to observational landscapes marks the return of happier times :) |
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Skulls Well they've always held a fascination since I can remember, I'd do more of them but people may worry. The Dollar was my first experiment in time lapse film, but has yet to be edited…. A REAL time lapse (2001). The slate skull series were done in one long nightshift with half a dozen self portraits. |
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Self Portraits I'm often told i haven't really changed much, just get caught less, here are some when I grabbed a snapshot in passing. |
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Vincent My beloved rat who lived in the studio with me, charming, witty, affectionate, and just that bit smarter than me. |
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People Just a few of the crew, but most of the important ones, the portraits from memory did focus me to maintain friendships and slowed me in seeking new ones, though luckily they still arrive. |
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Places Hastings will always be a remembered year, more recently love got me out of the dusty studio and into the open air of southern France and many other lovely places besides. Here develops a taste for a good ramble with my paints. |
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People & places These combine many recurring themes, a new factor now being composites of smaller paintings. Although i enjoy the happier landscapes and the challenge of observational portraits, i really want my studio painting to return to full force. |
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