I came to art like a hungry boy to a banquet. Over the course of my 30-year career, I’ve explored its delights and depths, from landscape, still life and the nude, to abstraction, religious painting and portraiture. The result is an oeuvre of over 400 paintings and drawings – a selection of which has now been organised into my book, Divining the Human.
Portraiture has always been central to my work – the narrative thread that weaves all its different parts together. I’m especially fascinated by the challenge of painting an actor in character and capturing the drama of their imagined, psychological state. In 2016, Kenneth Branagh invited me to portray the leading actors in his season of plays at the Garrick Theatre, giving me exclusive backstage access.
This story is from the May 30, 2023 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 30, 2023 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
US And UK Urge Hamas To Accept 'Generous' Israeli Ceasefire Deal Over Gaza
The US and UK have urged Hamas to swiftly accept an “extraordinarily generous” Israeli proposal for a truce in the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages.
Why Scotland May Have Two General Elections This Year
Humza Yousaf’s resignation as first minister of Scotland has worsened a deep crisis within his party.
No Migrant Returns Deal With Ireland, Warns PM
Rishi Sunak has poured cold water on a deal with Dublin to return migrants to the UK following concerns from Irish officials that asylum seekers are crossing the Northern Irish border into Ireland.
Are Airlines Getting Tighter With Their Luggage Rules?
Q I fly frequently, using different UK airports and airlines. In the past few weeks I have lost count of the number of occasions when angry/upset passengers are told at the departure gate they must pay £40 or £50 for an oversized cabin bag.
Salah's touchline tantrum hints at deeper Reds split
In a sense, Mohamed Salah's season has come full circle. It started with a display of dissent amid a substitution in London, the Egyptian contriving to rip a rather small bandage into an absurdly high number of pieces when taken off at Chelsea.
Arsenal's derby grit bodes well for draining title race
It was a joke that Mikel Arteta probably wouldn’t have made had this game gone a different way.
Delivery firm Getir to quit UK with 1,500 jobs at risk
Grocery delivery firm Getir is to leave the UK, Europe and the US to focus solely on its home market in Turkey, bringing an end to its rapid expansion across the regions since the pandemic.
Way to go, Michelangelo
'The last decades', a new British Museum exhibition, strives to make the artist's work immersive from the powerful works to the much more saccharine pieces, writes Mark Hudson
No, Jerry, the left and 'PC crap' aren't killing comedy
Seinfeld's rant is ludicrous and ignores the fact the industry has policed itself when it goes too far, writes Adam White
'People say we're destroying football - I think it's absurd'
Humphrey Ker, actor, writer and affable executive director of Wrexham speaks to Jessie Thompson about stress, top-flight ambitions and not being part of the fairytale for much longer