Artist Statement

Pattern, colour and texture of textiles and costume are intrinsic to my work, giving the painting a tactile and dramatic element, placing the model in a timeless era. Tone and form as well as strong light and colour is important to me, as I concentrate on the relationship between tonality and texture whilst keeping a private, reflective mood with the work.

1 am interested in the historical element of art and theatrical costumes has always been a favoured theme, and have been using couture garments along with the kimono to add drama and design to my art. Recently I have been incorporating gold leaf into my work, exploring the relationship between the decorative reflective gold leaf surface and a fully rerdered oil painting. The design and pattern of the surface and textiles have become an important pal of my painted compositions.

My inspirations come from my life long love of the Ukiyo-e Japanese wood-cut prints as well as the works of Caravaggio, Whistler and Sargent I am influenced by the Baroque style of oil painting and utilise a combination of Old Masters techniques with my own. I also am influenced by the devotional artists of the Early Renaissance, Giotto and Crivelli, as well as the Scottish Arts and Crafts movement, particularly the modern fresco work of Margaset MacDonald and Phoebe Anna Traquair. I enjoy bringing the classical techniques into the present day. It grounds me as an artist to look back in time to learn.

Ideas for my paintings usually come to me instinctively as finished images in my mind; this means the work has no distinct narrative. That I leave to the viewer to create for themselves