Portraits

I paint directly from life, preferably in the sitter’s familiar surroundings. This is where you are most at ease, and where the relationship between the painter and subject can most readily enliven the image. It’s not arduous, in fact it should be fun, and we chat throughout to animate the sitter.

I paint with a mirror behind me, to help break down the barrier than could otherwise lie between the active artist and the passive sitter. You see what is going on. You know when to concentrate, when to tell a joke, when to take a break. You will witness the whole fascinating process. I get a good look at you, so you should get a good look at me, mistakes, triumphs and all.

I enjoy painting couples, and families. I have four children of my own, and I am used to enthusing kids in a project like this. They are fascinated by the image making process and respond to my undivided attention.

My portraits look great in a contemporary home, and you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for one. Whether they are paintings or drawings, my portraits are more intense and more personal than any photograph.

From £1,800 for a painting, £400 for a drawing.