Can you describe your studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?
I am lucky I have a great space, it’s an old stone storage, a big stone shell of a building with real character and beauty, the light is naturally very dynamic with such strong sun here so it has its own vibe at all times of the day. The volume of space is great for me and I have surrounded myself with my work in all its stages. I also have one wall dedicated to drawings, I look at them all the time and I have come to rely on their presence. The space has also allowed me to work bigger, I love that I can put 5 or 6 large panels along the wall and can work on them together, literally walk along the wall painting. I can let things dry, take out old work, have everything out when I need it and store everything there. It really is an incredible studio to have.
Tell me about your process, where things begin, how they evolve etc.
I decide on a scale to use, order a batch of 6 maybe if they are small panels or 4 big panels. I put some colour down and just go from there. I don’t think each painting is an isolated event, so I find myself starting with the last paintings I made in my mind, sometimes painting what I have done before, and to go forward, I must destroy that and let the new painting reveal itself. When I am not painting I am drawing, one feeds the other. Also I have learned to just stop and back off and do something else when things aren’t going well. It can be a real emotional rollercoaster when it’s not working. It is so disheartening, it amazes me just how bad the feeling can be, still after all these years. On the other hand, it is hard to beat the highs of painting, I think there is no greater pleasure than being surprised by your own work.
