Palm is my most recent work in the exhibition, demonstrating current painterly concerns and lines of enquiry. It’s a painting that exults in its physicality while simultaneously acknowledging the influence of the virtual. Inspiration for the piece came from ideas around landscape, escapism and the transportive potential of paint.

The composition was planned using collage which allows for a vital aspect of spontaneity. Through the use of collage, I am able to negotiate the relationships between compositional elements and spatial configurations on the picture plane.

The rectangle is a recurring motif in my work. It relates not only to screen aesthetics, but also the historical idea of the traditional rectangular frame and the image contained within. The edges are always an important aspect in terms of how the build-up of paint describes and documents the painting process.

The metallic gouache used in this piece also aids the push and pull between the materiality of the painting as an object, and the way it functions as a window into a new field of vision. Palm looks at the idea of concealing and revealing, giving hints of previous layers which are semi visible beneath the surface.