I am specifically interested in the artists of the Italian Renaissance and the vanishing art of the figurative painting. Over the past years I have studied traditional painting techniques, particularly as they relate to the use of light and perspective. While my interest in the traditional aspects of painting is fixed in the past, I believe my work has a distinctly modern aesthetic that prevents it from falling into simple repetition of existing styles.
In this series of paintings I have explored the concept of the multiplicity of fate and the way in which any individual is required to make decisions and, accordingly, take action, without always having an opportunity to consider the possible consequences. I have drawn particular inspiration from mythology and literature: the stories in which one, seemingly insignificant decision sets a series of events in motion, altering the central characters lives profoundly. The timeless quality of these stories and their continuing popularity in the 21st Century speaks of the universal nature of human existence. No matter where or when we are born, wether we are rich or poor, we are all required to deal with the capricious nature of fate.
I have aimed to capture a pivotal moment where the subject is either about to make a life changing decision or has just realised the significance of their actions. I find the use of classical painting techniques such as foreshorting and chiaroscuro lend most mundane scene a monumental quality, capturing a sense of the underlying drama that exits in every person’s life.