About Me
Born in Oxford England I was brought up in the Cotswolds, right in the heart of the English countryside. In 2008 I graduated from Rhode Island School of Design receiving a BFA in fine arts. At RISD I studied Illustration focusing on all aspects of Fine Arts including photography, sculpture and painting. Having now graduated I intend to persue my passion figurative painting and portraiture and ultimately to push my painting, both technicially and theoretically, to new heights. I will shortly by working in the Bronx's, NY and will be painting out of my little apartment in Brooklyn.
Aside from painting, I love pigs, wilbour (who has now passed!) was my favourite and I still live on a farm. Despite being a painter I have a dying passion for rugby, oddly. And finally I believe that with out food my life would be completely pointless (especially Sunday Roast!) For any inquiries concerning commissions or just feedback on my work, please feel free to email me. All comments are greatly appreciated.
Artist Statement
My work is totally based around my instinctual desire to paint the human figure. As an oil painter I am constantly working to try and reach a more truthful interpretation of the human figure both spiritually and physically. The physical act of oil painting and the abstract values of paint of on visually expressive level are a constant fascination to me. The language created between two strokes when placed in harmony next to one another is the moment of pure ecstasy that I constantly strive for. Quite often the most successful area of a painting to me may be a seemingly unimportant square inch of colors placed perhaps within a flat area of a cheek say, but in this small area I may begin to get close the abstract qualities of color and shape achieved by the paintings of De Kooning.
On a more spiritual level the human figure has endless capabilities to charge a painting with the sort of meaning and intent that I desire from my work. I find great interest in the connection between the artist and muse and how this bond translates on to the canvas. I have found excitement both in the instinctual traits of a particular person when in a studio environment as well as their reaction to a more posed situation. Each situation lends its own unique insight into a persons personality as well as their spiritual being. The world we live in forces particular expectations upon people due to mass media and a modern ‘code of conduct.’ Therefore when I pose someone in a forced nude situation the emotional reaction can be particularly interesting not just for the model due to these conventions, but also later for the viewer. In this sense my work is about trying to achieve absolute humanism, unhampered, uncontrolled and ultimately truthful.
