Portals

I’m currently working on a new body of work called “Portals” It was pointed out to me recently that something that unites everything I do is scale - I’m either painting from way back (a view) or up a bit closer (a scene) or within a room (a space) or right up close where every object is 1:1 scale (a portal)

“Portals” felt like the best way to describe these pieces because when you stand in front of them, that’s how they feel. They’re big - 48 x 36” (or larger) so they fill your vision when up close. They also look quite 3D, due to how I use transparent and opaque oil colour in specific areas to create the illusion of light illuminating from above or simply reflecting of the waxy surface of a leaf and looking flat and opaque.

I want these pieces to feel like doorways to another world, one that’s familiar, but also slightly alien, like a tear has opened up in space-time and you can step through onto another planet and go explore.

There’s also a sense that you’re now small, like one of The Borrowers, looking up into a jungle that stretches up and out before you. Deep, mysterious and exciting.