I have recently applied for an Arts Council England Research and Development Grant, for stage 1 of a two stage ambitious new project which builds on my PhD work.
My artistic practice is centred on the idea that images carry emotional, cultural and imaginative power. Whether painting from life, reimagining historical works, or creating narrative studies, I am drawn to moments where beauty, meaning and identity meet. My work is often rooted in personal connection — to people, places and stories — and seeks to create artwork that is both visually rich and emotionally resonant.
Alongside my studio practice, I have a strong research background. My PhD, Portrait Therapy, explored how portraiture can support self-expression and self-identity revisioning for people living with life-limiting conditions. In this work I often used art appropriation — inviting participants to select existing famous or non famous portrait paintings and instruct me to “paint me this way!.” These experiences deepened my interest in how individuals see themselves in relation to historical imagery, and how re-visioning can become a creative and empowering act.
This research foundation now informs my artistic direction. I work across oil, gouache, watercolour, pastel and mixed media, and I am particularly fascinated by the visual language of the Pre-Raphaelites — their symbolism, detail, emotional intensity and storytelling - and how these can be reconsidered through feminist, inclusive and modern lenses.
My previous exhibitions include an ACE-funded exhibition of my PhD portraits entitled Paint Me This Way! at Swindon Museum & Art Gallery, and I have published widely on art, identity and creative research. I am committed to practices that place dignity, representation and artistic craftsmanship at the centre of image-making.
This painting was part of my PhD Project, where I worked with people living with life threatening illness. It features a lady called Rose, who had significant facial paralysis due to the effect of MND, she said "Paint me like a Picasso! Then people won't notice my quirkiness!"
This was a second PhD portrait that I created for, but was designed by, Rose. Rose said "Paint me like Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, he has always been my idol, and he knew what it was to live with a terminal illness". Rose asked me to paint it in the style of Lucian Freud.
