I am drawn to the space between figuration and abstraction—where composition, tone, and the sculptural quality of fabric and form carry the weight of the image. The face no longer needs to be the centre. The whole arrangement is the portrait.

Recent works explore liminal spaces, quiet tension, and the female figure in states of contemplation. I work with muted palettes, loose brushwork, and the atmosphere of in-between moments. I am learning to trust the abstraction and let the arrangement speak for itself.

The subject is fellow artist and costume designer Sarah, who I regularly paint from life with. It is a formal study that reconsiders portraiture through the lens of art for art's sake.

The title references Whistler's belief that a portrait could be more about composition and tone rather than a traditional portrait. I first saw Whistler's paintings at The Hunterian in Glasgow and was struck by the tension in his work. The fabrics and dress appeared abstract with loose brushwork and energetic mark making, but the face  pulled the viewer back. Whistler was known to scrape down and repaint faces, often painting them out entirely and starting again. I have the same struggle. I painted Sarah's face and then painted it out numerous times. I added detail and then pulled it back.

This painting is very much about our shared studio practice. The dress is one of Sarah's, and I was drawn to its sculptural quality. Her long white-grey hair, worn with pride as a feminist statement, catches the light as beautifully as the fabric. This is not a portrait of a face. It is a portrait of a presence, of collaboration, and of the quiet dignity of an artist.