‘Still life’ is a much used, evocative label. I want my objects and vistas to pulse with life. This includes stillness, but I also want a feeling of dynamism and liveliness. To create visual tension and narrative I often use multiple viewpoints and different degrees of representation such as graphic elements contrasted with modelled forms. I work in a meditative way building up the paintings layer upon layer over a period of time, considering each area of the surface and distilling and refining the colours, textures and relationships of forms. This is an intuitive process and although I often make preparatory drawings, I always allow the work to develop beyond these as I don't want to just copy my drawings.