Portrait in oil

'My goal is to create paintings which are not only visually interesting through use of a vibrant palette of colours, unique backgrounds or expressive brushstrokes but to also show a true portrait of the person who I decided to paint. Since I can remember people have always been the most fascinating subject for my work. I present the portraits of those who are close to me as well as of others who I meet on a daily basis. Often there is a synchronicity of events - opportunities will present themselves when I might least be expecting them. I try to catch these extraordinary moments and people in my mind and capture their unique, individual expression that shows their soul . My work attempts to introduce unique personalities in their natural environments and convey the emotions which these people are sharing with me. The paintings are a reflection of my inner dialogue with the person who I am portraying. The use of bold and contrasting colours is especially important for me. I am drawn to artists such as Gauguin, Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec, Egon Schiele, Matisse, Lucian Freud, Frida Kahlo who give a voice to human fragility and strength whilst at the same time combining their fascination with psychology and the narrative of everyday life.'