I have recently been alternating between still life and figurative painting.

To me the still life allows a stable, relatively neutral foundation on which to explore stylistic variations of the basic elements of design. Through such exploration I have found that I am drawn to bright, bold imagery that explodes to fill the canvas. Like the Dutch Baroque, I frequently include insects. Mine are usually imaginary, sometimes grotesque exaggerations of actual insects, injecting an element of surprise and subversion.

The people in my work usually appear caught up in some private moment of reflection creating an intimate, almost voyeuristic connection between viewer and subject. This suspended stillness lends a contemplative sense of resolve to the composition and perhaps mirrors our own gaze as we look on.

The titles I choose are often bombastic and overwrought, partly to diffuse the formality inherent in the subject matter, but they also add an additional layer of meaning. I’ve always loved what James Rosenquist and Damien Hirst do with their titles.