Are you a frequent visitor? How do you spend your time when you’re in the city? Yes, every other month, but I don’t stay there for long periods of time as I like to go back to my roots and the calm of the countryside. The energy of the city can be overwhelming at times, so I prefer it in small doses. I enjoy having the opportunity to stay with friends, catch up with them over dinner after a long day of painting. London is a melting pot of culture, and really celebrates its diversity. There is also lots of cool art in the city - I really like the Tate Modern as I’m a fan of the contemporary. Although my personal collection at home is rather eclectic, from primarily graphical drawings, abstract work, Brazilian architectural drawings and beyond. The beauty of London is that there’s always something new to paint. When did London first grab your attention? I was a very young child when I first visited with my parents, and I remember to this day the impression it left me with; it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Whilst there
was no particular defining moment for me of being particularly or suddenly struck by London, if I look back to the days when I started out exhibiting at Battersea Affordable Art Fair, that was when I found myself visiting the city more and more often. As an artist, you take inspiration from the environment around you. I would love, one day, to paint a monumental scale commission somewhere in the city, preferably on the side of a building in a really derelict area – I think it would be different. There is nothing abstract about abstraction. How would you like people to relate to your paintings of London? I would hope that they get a nice feeling. I occasionally speak to people who understand – they just get it. It’s nice that they relate to the work and it seems to be timeless; there is no age group it doesn’t appeal to, or who can’t relate to my work. Some artists appeal to certain age brackets or demographics, but it’s fantastic to attract a wider audience. Viewers don’t just recognise the place, they also pick up on the energy I have depicted - the feeling is there.
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