At low times in my life, the fact of an apple tree in bloom, or of flames in a fire, have sometimes been enough to cheer by their loveliness. I believe that, whether the restrictions in our lives are minor or severe, many women have an innate understanding of how to store comfort from small pleasures. Through painting, I am attempting to celebrate this.
Because I believe this to be a private solace for us all, my exploration into the narrative between paint and subject has, largely, been informed by my portrayal of London's unnoticed greenery.As often as possible, I use a ground level perspective to create a 'worm's eye' viewpoint so that my paintings of this busy and overcrowded city rarely feature more that a hint of the many people who constantly pass by these places.
I work from home, fifteen floors high, and, initially, attempted, in solitary painting, to convey this city solely through skyscapes. I am fascinated by the many layers of London and this fascination has transferred, for me, into a journey through surface upon surface.
As I use paint highly diluted with turps, I always work horizontally. I have, through experiment, found a way of scattering, flicking and dropping paint to 'grow' each image. By using a certain degree of serendipity, I am endeavouring to communicate the excitement and intensity I have felt in selecting each subject and to develop the relationship between the traditionally decorative and abstract illusion. The themes of reflection, transience and fluidity are at the heart of much of my painting.
Although my artistic relationship with London has been central to my work, I have painted many landscapes and still life from the English countryside, North Africa and Europe. I also undertake commissions.