Trying something

I had a painting, not seen it for 10 years, it left me with a former wife: life.

It was a portrait by Philip French, an artist with a gallery in Kinsale, near Cork and I quite liked it; still have a photograph of it.

So, I have been preparing for an exhibition which will hang shortly and the work is a series of portraits. They will all be black and white because that suits the subject and how I want the work to be interpreted.

But, I have a great subject, Diane. She is archetypal Irish but left Ireland when she was two. Pale skin, red hair; full hair.

And in photographing her, she brought to mind that painting that had got away. A different hair colour, but something that made me conscious of that image.

At the end of the portrait session with Diane, I directed her to pose as I remembered the painting. And this is what we produced. I really like this.