Coffee and Conversation at Bond Street, North Laine, Brighton

Print description

Late summer days, the bustle crossing the street, a noisy seagull watches as a pair of lovers hold hands in a café. There’s a lot of juxtaposition—a window shop with shelves full of bread loaves; a bike, marble and brick patterns and a John Craxton cat, which is just delightful and since the exhibition at Pallant House Gallery this year I have become very fond of this depiction of modernism.

I have added to the scene a Picasso feel to it, which resonates with me because he was from Málaga, like my mom.

This is a view from my studio balcony. We are a cooperative of creative people under one roof at @studiogreenhouseuk. Next year will mark ten years in the studio, so I’m creating a few prints that celebrate what’s around me and close to my heart.

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).

Depicting an everyday scene

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

A introspective study on style:

In exploring the style of this print, I’ve drawn from both personal heritage and broader art movements. My starting point was the Spanish Costumbrismo, a style I remember studying in school, which naturally led me to examine related schools such as Urban Realism and Social Realism

Contemporary Costumbrismo Art

Costumbrismo, originating in 19th-century Hispanic art, focuses on the depiction of local customs, everyday life, and manners. It blends artistic realism with Romanticism’s interest in expressive, emotional portrayals. Unlike mainstream realism, Costumbrismo often romanticizes or satirizes folkloric elements without offering direct social critique. In this print, that romanticized portrayal of urban life is evident, offering a personal yet grounded view of life on Bond Street.

Urban Realism

Urban Realism is concerned with the honest representation of city life—the architecture, the people, the mundane. It neither idealizes nor overtly critiques; instead, it offers a clear-eyed view of the everyday. This print reflects that impulse, focusing on the unremarkable but deeply familiar rhythms of life on Bond Street. There’s an emphasis on authenticity—on the small moments that define a day in the city.

Social Realism

While Urban Realism focuses on observation, Social Realism adds a layer of narrative. It’s less interested in neutral documentation and more invested in providing subtle commentary on social dynamics. In this work, there’s an invitation to consider not just the scene—a conversation over coffee—but the context within which it unfolds. The urban environment is more than a backdrop; it becomes a reflection of broader social structures and interactions.