This page begins with a series of acrylic paintings I completed over the Winter of 2009/2010, some were new ideas, some derived from recent carvings and some had existed as sketches for a couple of years (hence the dates for the work) before I finally got round to transferring to canvas.

They were all inspired by my long-standing interest in computer graphics and my intent to use 'white space'  as an arena of limitless and unspecified depth, to let the observers mind's eye fill in what I have left out. I am most interested in the clumsiness of computer graphics when they try and ape human technique and I also want to explore the things computers do well (and we don't) i.e. regular form and colour.

This painting expresses exactly the concept I wanted, human brushstrokes mimicking computer-drawn shapes to the end of creating a picture that needs human perception to fill in the subtleties

I really like clip-art, apart from its graphic qualities, I like that it's a visual shorthand and applicable to different contexts, movable, scaleable. So this painting used this idea and linked it to my previous 'feigning arm' sculpture. 'Apprehension' is a funny word in that it means three different things - fear, understanding and grabbing hold of, if these three meanings coincide, as with this painting, it is the most apt title.

These two paintings were derived from a PVC tape 'drawing' I did in 2008, which is pretty much  the ' Halfman in landscape' picture, 'I'm ok' is a derivation of the 'Halfman' theme. For the original drawing, I used the black tape in short pieces to build up a collage for the figure - I was trying to replicate the clumsiness of primitive computer graphics. I also used the hackneyed silhouette technique as it emphasised the outline shape which as a sculptor I know is very important in defining form. I simplified in order to create more visual impact but by reducing other aspects of the picture I was able to control where the emphasis was, where I wanted it to be.

I also wanted to portray an uneasy humour and in some ways subvert the extensive use of silhouettes in popular graphic design.

More painted acrylic work from 2011:

This painting is my response to seeing the Kulber-Ross 'change curve',  I was thinking it has little bearing on the complexity of reality. I also wanted to utilise the whiteboard-aesthetic with the picture, using quick, artless marker-pen drawing overlaying previous 'rubbed out' drawing. 

            M19 mandalas.

                                           Left                                                                                  Centre

                                          Right

The painting above is derived from the study below. The study below shows two glove puppet figures arguing, their pose is taken loosely from a photograph in a book, which I adapted and embellished. I like glove puppets as they are crude, clumsy and naive yet there is also an element of humanity in their appearance and actions which makes for a compelling juxtaposition.

This piece was exhibited in the 'A6 Dialogue 2015' show in July 2015 at Bankley Studios Gallery. The exhibition asked artists to produce work under the instruction of a 1966 O level Art exam paper.

So the work had to be from imagination, on paper and completed within 3 hours, I chose for my title 'The Argument' from the set titles provided in the exam paper. As I am usually a slow worker it was a challenge, I deliberately decided on a simple composition, but the limitations of time can force your work in new directions. The study above took about 2 hours and the painting from the study took 3 hours.

                                                                         Mum's Jumble    2024

                                                     Acrylic paint and pencil on canvas    50 x 120 cm

Although my mum had dementia, she managed to spend quite a lot of time arranging and re-arranging some of her favourite objects and photos, on the cloakroom shelf at her home.

This painting of mine depicts her final arrangement, before she sadly passed away at Christmas in 2022.