studio. Scotland
Contemplation, reflection, and analysis are critical components of the process. To slow down and give room for this I have a swing. The rhythm is calming. The sound of the creaking rope against timber rafters is hypnotic. I roll up a piece of paper as one would roll a cigarette and remember, as a child, watching my granda Wilson rolling and smoking his. I use the ritual, as he did, to withdraw from disturbances, to think.
My studio practice is mechanical. My process is calculated. I systematically work on one layer in one sitting, irrespective of scale. The process, physics and the movement of the human body are variable. So many factors dictate tonal uniformity that once I start, I can't rest. To do so for more than a few seconds destroys continuity and the image is split into visually obvious sections: factors such as the nuances of paint consistancy, a dry or humid atmosphere - if it's raining outside - the rhythm of my gesture, the speed of my movement; if I’m aggressive or gentle, if I use heavy or light pressure, how I stand, the angle of my arm.