Painting portraits is an opportunity to observe and depict the unique personalities of those around me, using brushstrokes and colour to capture the essence of the human spirit on canvas.
The Printer
In The Printer, my latest portrait series, I aim to showcase the skill and creativity of a contemporary letter press printer Mr Derek Lamb. The sitter in these paintings is a master of the craft, using unconventional arrangements and experimental inking techniques to re-imagine the traditional art of letterpress in a fresh and playful way.
In these works, I believe I have achieved my best as an artist, using my skills in drawing and oil painting to accurately and vividly depict the character and spirit of the sitter. I hope that The Printer will inspire viewers to appreciate the craftsmanship and artistry of letterpress, and to see the possibilities for innovation and play within this traditional medium in the digital age.
Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion. It is not he who is revealed by the painter; it is rather the painter who, on the coloured canvas, reveals himself.
Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray