Finally complete, my largest piece to date 'Le Radeau Rocheux' , which translates as The Rocky Raft is now being exhibited as part of my solo show of the same name. Measuring a bumper 1.5m x 1m, it dominates the centre of the show, surrounded by smaller paintings and sketches, mainly in oils and oil pastels, all depicting seabirds from the coast of Fife, taken by West Wemyss based photographer Steve Cook. Marvellously, Steve got on board with my idea and allowed me permission to use his images as references for all of the works included. A year long endeavour which saw the final piece take 187 hours of painting to complete over a period of six months, this project has so many layers for me and is my way of adding my voice to the conversation that Gericault started with his raft of the medusa 200 years ago. His epic historical painting was his angry outcry against the Government and the corruption of those with power and wealth, the unfairness of the treatment of the poorest in socitey and the destabilising force of war and its toll on those at the bottom of the social ladder. To me it really feels as though the world is still the same and I wanted to add to that commentary through my own interpretation. Using the symoblic birds of rebellion, resillience, survival, and war, this has been a year long love affair with these birds and a hugely cathartic experience.