"Headlines "

This was the first painting I have done of pheasants. I ordered them from the butcher and expected to revel in their plumage and enjoy the classic nature of the subject. But I was taken by surprise, I found them strangely moving, particularly realising the implications of having a pair. The female looked so plain against the assertive colours of the male, but as I painted her she became so subtle, and they seemed to form naturally into a spooning pose, and therefore become two parts of a whole. It was quite difficult to remain detached. It was also not lost on me that although I had placed them randomly on the newspaper, the name Trump was clear by their heads. My pair seemed vulnerable, passive, beautiful but exposed. I found painting them was difficult. I could not eat them.

The Mall Galleries selected this painting for inclusion in its "Beyond the Prize" Exhibition 2025