Lily Pond at Kew Gardens Painting

I look for the potential decorative aspects contained in the the subject I wish to paint. Then it is about the process of creating an artist's viewpoint, rather than realism itself. This involves the elements of shape, thinking in terms of an overall pattern and then creating a pleasant mood through choosing colour(s). The aim is simply to enjoy the process of creating and hopefully another viewer of the artwork will have an enjoyable experience also. I think the best interpretation of what I attempt to produce is contained in a quotation from Matisse: “What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter - a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.”