WHY Painting

Manchester born, Lyon based. From rainy (sometimes breathtakingly beautiful) England to a truly stunning French city. After completed my fine art degree in Leeds, a mixed success, I was entirely lost. With a few t-shirt designs I went looking for a screen printer and ended up running a small eco-friendly clothing brand for five years. It was tough work, printing, marketing and designing everything myself. However it allowed me the flexibility to continue my artistic practise and have lots of face to face time with end users. After half a decade of breathing in much too much white spirit in an unventilated studio and a few physio appointments, Brexit gave me the kick up the arse to finally move to France to start a new chapter. Now I am lucky enough to paint and draw full time. The propane to my flame of motivation is injustice. I'm fully of the belief that an artist must pile their soap boxes high and shout to anyone who will listen. That doesn't stop me adding a bit of humour to the mix, what else shrivels the manhood of those abusing power more than laughter? To balance out the sometimes poisonous nature of this work, I like to step back and paint stunning landscapes I am lucky enough to stumble upon. Quality of light is very much a draw and this ephemeral beauty reminds me what in the world is worth fighting for. Recently I have been taking a lot fo inspiration from my wanderings, bike rides and skates around Lyon. It is choc full of incredible carvings, masonry and woodwork. I like to take sections of these old artworks and incorporate them in my own piece. I find the melding of old filigree and modern imagery and colour a satisfying metaphor for what I think my own practice is, old techniques twisted to modern day problems.