I don’t know if it’s the timelessness of this Quiet Portrait of Eliza or the colours that make it so charming. Perhaps it has something to do with how we can all recognise the way Eliza is holding her fingers apart and swinging her legs as children do when they are concentrating.
Simon
I love the shapes and curves in Simon’s body, I really enjoyed using long single strokes of paint for his backbone. The colours work beautifully too, khaki trousers, light blue background and the red cup.
Young Woman
I love the peacefulness of this painting. I think we all recognise this moment of deep contemplation, totally unaware of herself, of us and of her surroundings. I wonder what she is thinking about.
She is my cousin’s daughter Isabella. In return for modelling she is painting in my studio. The idea was that I would teach her to paint in oils, but she is a natural and has picked it up really quickly, she’s a very good painter, and I really like having her around.
This painting and the one’s called The Silk Pyjamas and The Far View are all of her, and are for sale.
Vijay
Vijay is very stylish, he dresses beautifully. I used very subtle combinations of a purple-grey and yellow in this portrait, two colours that can look very harsh together – or wonderful. I think we pulled it off here.
Matt and Joshy
These two brothers Matt and Joshy are absolutely fascinated by something on the ground between them, I think it must be either a big spider or a worm.
The Silk Pyjamas
Isabella, my cousin’s daughter and my favourite model, she often stays the night when she is painting in my studio. She was wandering around in her pyjamas one morning and I saw two great quiet portraits, this one and The Far View. The simplicity of the colours and the texture and sheerness of silk are wonderful.
This painting and the one’s called Young Woman and The Far View are all of her, and are for sale.
Sean
Sean came to dinner with a friend of mine, as he was going he put on this scarf and then this coat, and then lastly this cap. I suddenly saw a fabulous quiet portrait and I begged him to come back to the studio the following Saturday with the same clothing. He did. I made up the greeny background and it looks great with these colours.
The Recipe Book
As I painted this work I felt that I wanted to add a small amount of very bright red to pull the viewer in, so I made the book a recipe book with a cherry flan on the facing page. This worked beautifully because it is also her point of interest.
This painting is for sale.
The Far View
This is my cousin’s daughter Isabella who does some modelling for me when she comes to paint in my studio. All I do is give her the materials and the tools she needs. I sometimes make an observation as I walk through the studio, which she may or may not use. She’s a very good painter.
This painting and the one’s called Young Woman and The Silk Pyjamas are all of her, and are for sale.
The works are framed in dark wood tray frames.
Visit the Studio
The Studio is very near the American Embassy in Nine Elms, London. Please contact me and come and visit, have a cup of tea and see what’s on the easel.
