"The motivation behind this painting is that I am very private with my emotions. This worried me,  particularly as in my teens I lost my cousin to depression. Not knowing how, or who to talk to, I decided to make this painting. What this painting symbolises has changed multiple times since making it, but most recently for me, it refers to the feeling of helplessness and not having any answers to this problem. Although that sounds incredibly bleak, I set out to make this as colourful and as beautiful as I could, to insinuate that sharing it is a positive thing."

Self Portrait

"My grandad has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimers. I have previously watched my great aunt (his sister) suffer from the illness, and know the effects it can have; not only on a person's memory, but their personality. I was anxious to see how he had been affected by it. At first he seemed a little vacant and easily confused, but my anxiety was quickly alleviated when I first had a conversation alone with him. He locked into the conversation, and was back to his usual self. This is a portrait of him in that moment. His portrait is crystal clear, gleaming in the sun and pays homage to my grandad, but to his side in the shade are the haunting references to his impending illness."

Grandad