My paintings focus on the human figure and my interest lies, not in creating realism or anatomical accuracy, but in an exploration of the subtlety of the emotion revealed by the subconscious signals we use to communicate. A core interest is how we read each other’s feelings and translate complex signals, the brave face; the suppressed truth; a hidden lie, is a continual fascination. In these often difficult exchanges, the figures suggest that although gregarious, we are ultimately alone. My figures are fictional, located in abstract worlds and are largely stripped of narrative but invite the imagination of the viewer to create their own stories. Living in London, a densely urban centre, provides a rich source of inspiration. Although my paintings are ultimately drawn from imagination I am intensely observant (some have said nosey) and daily urban interactions frequently find their way into tiny sketches. An over heard conversation, a couple sitting silently on a park bench, a group of workmen on a building site are all sketched after the event and then inspire a chain of development, fuelled by frustration, that ultimately ends in the composition for a large painting. Recently I have been focusing on “the couple” and exploring how the action of one person leads to a corresponding reaction in the other. Although the scenes are derived from daily interactions they aim to become timeless and transient and exist outside a specific time. In the age of prolific photographs and “the selfie” often one figure gazes out challenging the viewer to engage – or not.