FEMALE ICONS
Images of mature, female celebrities were starting points for this series of paintings. I was tired of ‘women of a certain age’ being overlooked and not appreciated for their undeniable talent and wisdom so I wanted to celebrate their humour, resilience and creative energy. The images are recognisable but I am not a photo-realist painter. The colour has to be delicious enough to make your mouth water and the surface seductive enough to make you want to touch it.
Vivienne Westwood, 2019, Oil on Canvas
Annie Lennox, 2019, Oil on Canvas
Jo Brand, 2019, Oil on Canvas
Miriam Margolyes, 2019, Oil on Canvas
Kathy Burke, 2019, Oil on Canvas
Olivia Colman, 2019, Oil on Canvas
BOYS KEEP SWINGING
This series of portraits explores the suprisingly common phenomenon of men exploring their identities and expressing their sexuality by putting on a frock. As a starting point for this series, I chose photographic images of well-known, male performers, captured in clothing more commonly recognised as female than male. This group of men were inhabiting other identities for different reasons but as I began to find out their stories I discovered layers of honesty, courage, and vulnerability that existed, as well as an urge to shock, defy and disrupt.
Kurt Cobain, 2021, Oil on Canvas
David Bowie, 2022, Oil on Canvas
MOLLY HOUSE
Grayson Perry, 2022, Oil on Canvas
Olly Alexander, 2021, Oil on Canvas
Eddie Izzard, 2021, Oil on Canvas
I remain fascinated by the lives of individuals who are too often misunderstood or marginalised and I am determined to shine a loving spotlight on them.
Molly, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas
Les Dawson 'Ada', 2021, Oil on Canvas
Tutus, 2019, Oil on Canvas
Iggy Pop, 2021, Oil on Canvas
Ballerina, 2020, Oil on Canvas