Jelly Babies? Jellyfish? I grew up in the UK where those small, multi-coloured sweets (called candies in the USA) made from glucose syrup, colouring and gelatine are called 'Jelly Babies.' In this work I've used the American variant 'Gummy Bears.' They look like miniature teddy bears and,...
A daydream is often described in psychological terms as mind-wandering and self-reflection. I think that‘s a reasonable hypothesis. And it goes some way to explain the choice of imagery I’ve used in this work which, without realising at the time, is about self-reflection. I’ve called it -...
I’ve always liked the Pre-raphaelites. That group of painters who, at the turn of the last century, broke the mould and broke with tradition, yet achieved critical acclaim. More importantly I liked their subject matter which, as painter-story-tellers, brought the mythology of the ancient world to...
Why Clowns? I really don’t know. As a child I remember seeing clowns. There were travelling circus in the UK and, when the circus came to town, my parents would take me to see the show. Although, being young, my memories of the whole experience I’d...
OK, I admit it. I agree with you whole-heartedly. This painting is unconventional, unorthodox and, without doubt, eccentric. Despite that, I rather like it. I did, after all, put paint to canvas to create it. In my never-ending search for inspiration I uncovered a photograph of a...
OK, the painting on the previous page I called - ‘Beguiled, Bedazzled, Betrayed.’ The one in front of you is the follow up which continues with a similar theme and subject matter.To be honest, I quite like this unorthodox stuff because it‘s bizarre, unconventional and, hopefully,...
I’ve always liked photorealist and hyperrealist artworks. I remember, fairly early on in my creative career, being impressed by the work of American painters Richard Estes, Charles Bell and Ralph Goings. Today we’ve got Eloy Morales, Roberto Bernadi, Franco Clun and a host of others...
If I paint pictures does that make me an artist? I honestly don’t know. I do know there are times when, having started a painting, there comes a point when I don’t much like what I see before me on the canvas. This is one of those...
I never imagined I’d end up painting pictures. I do know that if I was devoid of talent I simply wouldn’t carry on with it and thereby saveon all those paints, brushes and canvas. I always paint stuff that engages me. Things that have a narrative, a...
How are ideas conceived? Where does inspiration spring from? Well the idea and inspiration for this painting, ‘The Lovers’ I owe to a work entitled ‘The Wedded’ painted in 1882 by Lord Fredric Leighton (1830 - 1896). Leighton’s grandfather was principal physician to the Russian royal family....