Five years is a long time to break from anything, especially something that gives my life and career structure. The truth is, I needed this time to combat the pressing issues of security, family and ask myself the question… why do I make what I make. In 2019 I was coming off the back of 2 solo shows, I had confidence in my ability to make visually beautiful work but struggled with the intangible abstract nature of my paintings. I was burnt out and the answer, I thought, was to remove myself.
Since 2020 I have been training, painting murals in the hand painted advertising industry, learning to paint photo realism and on a massive scale, fundamentally to structure a business around the skillset I now possess. Living in London has forced me to take a step back from the purist path as an artist, and think more about how I might facilitate going back to the studio, part or maybe even full time. In 2022 I set up my own business and in 2023 I became a father, which has added to the financial pressure, but provided a new outlook on life, work, art.. virtually every aspect of my existence. In 2023 I began to paint my son and my partner. This was the start of a new journey for me. The painting above was painted while my partner was pregnant. Deep down I knew we were having a boy. I wanted to capture him as he materialised, somehow reach into the future and take a look for myself. I could feel his innocence. This was my first painting in 4 years. - 30 December 2024 -
Untitled - Oil on Canvas 2019
Since the Covoid19 lockdown in London, I have been unable to visit my studio as often. I wanted to try learn something new, and I came upon etching. I have tried this before in my student years, but was unable to achieve the imagery I wanted. For now I am selling the etching plates, but will take them to a print club once life returns to normality. More to come..
Since the beginning of 2020 I have struggled to find my flow. The balance between work and studio time has been difficult. I decided to discard my usual approach to painting and begin on some purely realistic imagery. I’m trying to put together a series of abstracted paintings, that offer the viewer something relatable and tangible. For instance the painting on my easel is of an off licence that I pass on my way to football on a Tuesday night. The lighting was reminiscent of examples of Hopper’s work. I photographed it a couple of times on different occasions.
As my first ever realistic painting, I am currently going through a process of trial and error. More to come…
‘Under Construction’ 2019 - Acrylic and spray paint on wood
Towards the end of 2019 I began to include elements of architecture in my work, something that I have been moving towards implicating for a coupe of years. London is constantly changing, as is my current ‘style’, for lack of a better word. The London sky line is littered with cranes which subsequently bring the feeling of growth and development but also destruction and loss as we say good bye to our traditional architecture. ‘Under Construction’ is a painting of the body of a crane, comprised of different buildings that i photographed in London during the year, the scene below is taken from a photo I took in Spitalfields Market. The title is in responce to the current state of our great city, but also myself as a creative, and human being. 2nd March 2020.
‘Verulamium’ 2019 - Acrylic and spray paint on wood -
This painting was completed in responce to an experience I had in Verulamium, close to where I was born in St. Albans, UK. Verulamium is the name given to the city of St. Albans by the Romans, and it was the first settlement outside of Londinium (London) on the long trading road up North. It has held significance for me since childhood as a place of deep historical value which i appreciate. My father would tell me stories of how the town was arranged relating to the ruins that you can still see, exposed above the grass on the park. Elements of the park as I have known it, reminiscent in the mossy and vibrant greens are met by shards of grey and back. The landscape is scattered with the dissipating sections of wall.
Black Book Pages -
For ‘Selected Works 2019’ I decided to exhibit a few pages from my sketchbook. This decision was made based on my previous show in which I exhibited lots of finished works but no developmental works. Although they may not be as impressive as paintings however they do hold great value in unlocking the pathways I have taken to reaching conclusions such as ‘Under Construction’ which features above.
Studies - November 2019 -
These paintings featured in my ‘Selected Works 2019’ exhibition. They were initially studies not intended for exhibiting, but once completed I found they held great relevance in my development from 2018 until now. The larger of the 3 was painted last and is the result of many layers of glaze, spray paint, re-enforced by tighter layers of acrylic which I would then remove with layers of paint, so barely visible, then repeat. The end result was a smokey landscape in which the greens and purple / brown harmonised.
‘Epilogue 2’ 2019
My first painting of 2019