Portraits and People

Here you’ll find more detail and background to some of my paintings.

Helen

Helen is an author and friend. She posed for this painting during a brief trip to Malvern. I wanted to capture one of her particular expressions, emphasised by the strong background lines of the studio. This is on a heavy canvas frame and painted by brush in oils.

Tim

This painting of Tim, with whom I worked, is painted just with a cloth and paper towel, providing an immediacy I felt could not be achieved with brush – though the background is all brushwork. Oil on canvas, it’s one of my favourite paintings, because it captured an aspect of Tim that I liked. I was taking a group photo of Tim and several colleagues and his ironic gesture was aimed at me and I adapted it for this painting. Note the partial face, laughing bottom left.

Andrea

Andrea is a singer/songwriter, actor and author. I wanted to capture her expression when composing at home. I made several visits, working from real life in situ and from photos, when returning to my studio. Brushed oil on canvas.

Rowena

I visited Rowena in her studio in France and took many photos of her working. It was several years before I found what would work and then the painting painted itself. Brushed oil on canvas.

Sadie and Paul

Sadie and Paul frequent the Green Dragon, my local and they agreed I could attempt a portrait of them. I wanted to capture the humour and closeness of their relationship. Oil on canvas.

I was walking through the grounds of Hereford Cathedral and two skateboarders were there doing their stuff. I asked if I could sit by the wall and take photos, from whence this picture originates. Brushed oil on canvas.

This is a close-up of one of the skateboarders. He kindly sorted out the settings on my camera, which I’d messed up and then donned his amazing jacket, of which I’m sure he is proud. Brushed oil on canvas.

This painting remains incognito, on request of the subject, though I’ve changed his mouth to someone else I know and he looks quite different. Some brushwork, but mostly palette knife, which I’m increasingly using, enjoying the freedom of movement and immediacy. I just call it ‘Man in Pub’. Oil on canvas.

This is Mark who both plays wonderful music and ensures everyone has a beer at the West Malvern Social Club, a very cool place for excellent music. He’s joined in this painting by other musicians. Oil on canvas.

I painted this because of the juxtapositions within the subjects, whom I met on Paddington Station in London, waiting for a train. Brushed oil on canvas.