A Young Artist and the Curious Rook at Charleston in Lewes

Print description

This print captures a moment of serene concentration as a young sits absorbed in making art. 

The scene is set in Charleston in Lewes, a museum and gallery space in Lewes, housed within a converted planning  office building, that now is run by the Charleston trust , that is based in Charleston Farmhouse anda is the home of the Bloomsbury Group in Sussex.

Through large Georgian sash windows, the view opens to a winter landscape: bare trees with a rookerie, where one curious rook looks down at the boy, perhaps intrigued by his creative process. Beyond the trees lies the Victorian railway station in Lewes.

The modern, concrete interior contrasts with the classical architecture outside, creating a juxtaposition of past and present. The boy, seated at a table with art materials provided by the gallery, is deeply immersed in his drawing. This scene evokes a connection between nature, architecture, and artistic creation, capturing a quiet, thoughtful moment.

Print details

To create this print, I start by crafting individual drawings in ink, which collectively form a collage comprising the final piece. I scan my drawings and digitally add colour. The original design solely exists in digital format, and I print it using archival inks and paper. I then release my design as a limited edition print, available in standard ‘A’ sizes, ranging from A0 (84.1 cm x 118.9 cm) to A4 (21 x 29.7 cm).

People and Places Revelations of Love

This work echoes many different sources, from Vuillard’s colourful depictions of the domestic patterned interior, many of which I saw at Pallant House Gallery in 2022, to the Alekos Fassianos Foundation, which I visited in Athens during the summer of 2023. Also in a mental periphery I can think of Ben Nicholson still lifes with his everyday objects; or Gwen John interiors, specially one exquisite painting ‘La chambre sur la cour’ that depicts an balcony

The human figure in a scene

I have been running life drawing sessions in Brighton for many years, and the depiction of the human form fascinates me. Through this piece, I aim to express both my personal experiences and the environment where I live. So the inclusion of a figure is very important, referencing one of my living art heroes, artist Louis Fratino, with his modernist cubic contemporary classics. It also draws inspiration from a recent exhibition at Studio Voltaire in London, that featured a pairing of works by Beryl Cook and Tom of Finland, held in the summer of 2024