My painting process is predominantly intuitive. I start out with a general idea about what I want to try to say, combining experience watching animals with photographic references and an imaginative element. Beyond that, I see where the brush takes me. Sometimes (with the expressionists in mind) I prioritize conveying a feeling, which might involve a stronger commitment to character, expression and line, reducing the emphasis on traditional color palettes or realism. Other times, I concentrate on light, (impressionists in mind) and will focus on values, tones and temperatures.
Backlit Conversation, acrylic on canvas, 26 x 17¾" (66 x 45 cm) In this piece, my focus was on creating the backlit effect and the “conversation” being had between the man and dog. By reducing most of the other information to spots and stripes, I hope the focus is on the feeling of the light and the connection between the characters.
White Dress, acrylic on canvas, 15¾ x 19½" (40 x 50 cm) I was commissioned to paint a portrait of the sighthound in this piece, but couldn’t help making a painting of his family on this July morning in the playroom. Dogs everywhere. Children still sleepy. I loved the calm chaos of the scene. The plan was to experiment with patterns and flat perspective in the walls, floor, paintings and furniture, making things stripey when they really weren’t, and flattening the two dresses into simplified shapes. I was thinking about the work of Vuillard, one of my ultimate heroes.
Ultimately, I strive to capture what it is to live alongside and know animals. I want to represent them as individuals. Key focuses of mine are on finding characters, personalities in expression, and harmony in composition and values. Familiar movements or moments. Gesture is so important as well, considering anatomy carefully but pushing boundaries with elongated forms where possible. I like my paintings to feel fresh, so I work fast and keep my mark making loose.
Sun Lounger, acrylic on board, 15¾ x 12" (40 x 30 cm) In this piece I was thinking about light and values. I love sighthounds. They are such elegant dogs, and I wanted to paint one doing something they love: lounging in the sun. The diagonal line of light falling across the piece creates an interesting composition and challenging light contrast. Keeping the darker values painted very thinly and laying it on more thickly where the sun falls on the hound helps to convey the impression of light and shade.
Red Bucket, acrylic on canvas, 19½ x 15¾" (50 x 40 cm) In this piece, I wanted to convey the feeling of washing off a horse. The weight of the bucket full of water, the hesitance of the horse because it might be cold. The rhythms in composition of the resting hind leg and tilt of the horse’s pelvis mirroring the angle of the man’s shoulders. It was a challenge to convey this traditional subject matter in a contemporary way by simplifying shapes and abstracting the palette, but maintaining that recognizable encounter with gesture and anatomy.
This requires careful consideration every time I put the brush to the canvas and results in many failed attempts. Dogs and horses are the most consistent protagonists in my work. I strive to depict these animals in a contemporary way that maintains the essence of what it is to live alongside these glorious friends. —