Contorted Painting

Born in Edinburgh in 1953. I have always had a passion for art in all its forms and have been fortunate to be able to make a living from doing what I love. My paintings start from the position and gesture of the human form, and the use of strong light creates anabstract quality which breaks from the obvious, preconceived concept of what the human figure looks like.The light adds solidity and weight to the figures, who portray an inner strength within their self-contained,introverted positions.The idea of a seductive, reclining nude is not relevant to the women and men who I meet in real life. Theyare intelligent, thinking people highly capable of reaching their own and individual conclusions about life. Theposes in these works are derived to some extent from the bending figures of Degas, who remains one of mygreatest influences. They echo a reality of a figure in tension. Tension being a part of all of our existences.The poses make interesting designs across the canvas which, along with the shapes created by the directlight, form a composition that echoes the transience of tension and balance within our lives.