The Ever Present Painting

This piece is based on the Greek philosopher and poet, Homer. Paul often paints stone busts of people as he is able to pour his own life into something that is still and lifeless. Although the painting is based off a stone sculpture, many Greek and Roman classical sculptures used to be painted, hence the vast variety of colour in this piece. "Artist Statement I have spent the last 15 years developing a painterly language through which I seek to capture a vitality beyond the establishment of a mere ‘likeness’ to the subject. Whilst I appreciate the importance of the subject being recognisable, they are glimpsed rather than exposed, their inner selves hinted at but ultimately inscrutable. Though I often work on a large, potentially imposing scale, the work remains immediate through fluency of brush mark and a rich palette. The spaces the subjects inhabit are often indeterminate, providing an atmosphere that allows for ambiguity of psychological state. The subjects retain their integrity and yet a sense of intimacy is evoked"