Artists statement I am very much engaged with the physicality of paint and my aim is to further develop my creative artistic and painting practise. Mastering traditional painting skills and techniques, whether it be portraiture, still life or landscapes has contributed to the development of ideas. I also aim to develop artistic thought by examining contemporary perceptions of identity, representation and concern. World events happening now are a concern. The disruption of realism with abstraction is now what excites me. The dialogue between the real and abstract components, the interaction between finished and unfinished elements establishes the balance of the compositions The work presented is devoid of any specific time or place, the people depicted exist for themselves in paint, characters without identity that may express a strange feeling of loneliness, isolation and confinement. The combination of realism with an abstract element uniting the figure to the surroundings, creates an entry point to engage with the viewer. The compositions are open to interpretation, an invitation to the viewer fill in the blanks, to create individual narratives by imagining relationships or consequence.