Be 'appy Painting

My work comes mainly from less loved UK scenery, especially of the urban, generic and random variety. I tend to avoid more popular attractions, searching for the views to reflect my mood or, increasingly, what seems like the darkness of today's world. While helped by my photography, I usually paint more loosely than a photorealist would, leaving some feeling on the surface. I am more concerned with atmosphere, colour and socially relevant content than with concept or form. Aesthetically speaking, my main message would be that beauty is wider than generally accepted - arguably universal - and not confined to prettiness, elegant shapes or particular types of subject. I look to combine what for me is the visual appeal of my preferred locations with a sense of contemporary malaise. As well as continuing with my usual stuff, lately I’ve been working on a new fantasy series, trying to make something strange and dystopian from images shot in my ex garden, which had grown to look increasingly abandoned.