I am driven by resolving an image in its process.

I have been painting systematically within grids of

nine divisions, exploring ideas of balancing colours and tone within the grid, working out successful
forms, often exploring something visual I have seen in the previous paintings and trying to expand
the method in a different visual context. I feel the more I explore variations within this pattern of
working, it will lead to a thorough understanding of tone, colour and form, expanding my visual
vocabulary within painting and image making. I am heavily inspired by artists who have focused in
similar ways, such as Sonia Delaunays studies of light or Sean Scullys approach working against a
boundary. I feel exploring these ideas in paint is appropriate, as paint has a lack of content without
application. This means, when paintings are abstract/nonfigurative, they can be viewed as
explorations of visual qualities, rather than there being contextual concerns regarding figure and
object. That said, I am also starting to expand these ideas of form and arrangement into
photography and instillation, using objects to explore the coming together of theoretical ideas as
well as visual ones.
I am very interested to expand and formalise more of these ideas considering the materials used
and their associations, as well as their physical properties. I am also concerned with ideas about the
contexts of the methods: oil painting has historical establishment and has a range of aesthetic
associations, as it has been explored through many movements. The physical properties are
considerations in my process, oil painting is a time-based process, ending typically in a singular
physical object containing the image. whereas photography is a more immediate in process and
possesses physical restrictions of form. My concerns are both about positioning of objects when
photographing and dealing with the semantic associations to the content of the image. I feel that
one practice can inform another. Painting definitely inspires my photography and vice versa. I am
keen to explore other mediums and ideas, experimenting across media. Visually exploring the
properties of what Im working with remains an essential concern in my practise.
This focus on pure form and content has evolved and stemmed from intensive, committed
observational drawing and painting. I feel the need to maintain this aspect of my work and approach
to studying tone and form, even when exploring very different practices. I have explored different
ideas within my portrait work, as I feel it is a historically affirmed practice. I am keen to further
explore ideas of subjectivity and objectivity in portraits and how this is depicted historically. I have
also started to look at how portrait dynamics can be affected within different approaches, such as
the way Picabia produced kitsch portraits with the use of alternative palletes. I am interested in
applying theories to my figurative work. I am eager to work in a painting specific contextually
informed studio practice with the attractive environment and multiple opportunities the BA Painting
in Brighton can offer me.