Here a fictitious “wall” littered with marks, characters, graffiti and the words “love” and “be brave” are combined with highly detailed plants I came across in the South American climate of Chile.

After laying down a textured surface, the second stage of this work consisted of a very free, both mentally and physically, application and stripping back of paint, marks and graphics. I didn’t begin this painting with a preconceived idea of what would appear on this “wall” and to this end I found great freedom within it. With each new mark laid down the picture led me and with it a story was revealed. When it came to painting the plants a far more focused, controlled and methodical approach was required, not least in the mathematics of dividing the canvas. And yet when painting the detail I often found myself slipping into an almost meditative state of mind where time and space evaporated. As with all my work one aim is to bring into play some of the many contrasts life throws in our path whether that be freedom versus control, order versus chaos, beauty versus decay and yet ultimately one is urged here to face fears, to “be “brave” and “love.”