I have been painting Portraits since 1998. My portraits capture a moment in time, they create a scene and tell a story. As well as finding the most flattering likeness, I am exploring portraits which depict the life of my sitter, capturing a snapshot into their world, expressed through composition, setting and symbolism. Using flowers, fabrics, colours, patterns and significant personal objects I aim to build a picture of a life in all the little details.
I am greatly inspired by the romance and fantasy of artists like the Pre-Raphaelites, Frida Kahlo, Gustav Klimt, Alphonse Mucha, Peter Jackson and Tim Burton, also the bright, kitsch colours of Baz Lurman and the surreal staged images of Wes Anderson and Rene Magritte.