Wrapping up Summer

I've put my brushes down and stretched my arms to full length to carry my latest aubergine-coloured painting out into the light of day. 150 cm is my arm span and also the largest canvas I work on. It's a practical consideration and is also reflected in my paintings, which enjoy objects of human measure: chairs, baths, beds, and doors.

My latest painting is of a wooden chair with a squishy silvery cushion looking out at a large expanse of purple. On the back of the chair hangs a red embroidered jacket. The painting serves as a comfortable invitation to either sit in the chair or to become the chair; either way, you're invited to pause and reflect. The summer is coming to an end, and we have the autumn days stretching ahead of us. You are invited to look into the open purple space surrounding you and have the purple space soak into you.

As I push colours around on the canvas, replicating the colours I see in real life, I have a visceral sense that I'm massaging balm into every joint in my body. It's a surprising and healing feeling which makes me grateful I'm able to be an artist full time. The scale of the expanse of purple is immersive and becomes almost experiential.

This is my favourite jacket and I wear it throughout the summer of fields and festivals. It makes any drab outfit joyful and bright. I found it in the depths of a sparkly shop at Glastonbury festival. As I hang it up I can feel a quieter self reaching for more natural, earthy colours of autumn. This painting is the introvert and the extrovert in me. I'll be sitting in this chair next to a crackling fire sinking into the longer evenings whilst feeling full of the joy and richness of the summer.

I've just finished painting a collection for Battersea AAF autumn show and the courier is booked to collect them in few hours. Out in the daylight I give the paintings a final check over and inevitably bring out my brushes to carry on working. It's often not until the courier drives into the yard that I feel that the painting is ready and I can wave it off and look out at a distant horizon, to rest my eyes and to turn to the next collection. I will now be working towards New York and Austin, Texas spring shows.....whilst also sitting and staring out from that silvery cushion.

'Landing' 150cmx150cm will be on show with the Greenstage gallery at Battersea Affordable Art Fair from the 15th-19th October 2025. Please get in touch if you'd like complimentary tickets to the fair.

Wearing the subject of the painting whilst doing a final check in daylight before paintings are collected.