‘Through to Green’ demonstrates this perfectly. I started with a clear image in my head; one that was based around watching the sea on a wild December afternoon. To that end, I built up the blue base, introduced gilding and was pleased with the results. However, it was decorative but told no story. I worried over it, I tried it in different lights, but something was lacking. Then I lost my temper with it. Using a splayed sable brush, I started applying washes of turquoise and green. I worked for an hour before settling down to read my book. When I looked at it again, it was changed. Thankfully for the better.

Though I had drowned sections of gold in layers of acrylic, they still shine through as you can see from the secondary picture. What has been achieved is something that I could not have planned or rather, something that I planned and then attacked. It is itself."

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