© Freshwater Shoal (2021), Mixed media on canvas, 20" x 39.5"/ 51cm x 100cm

This is one of the biggest pieces I’ve done to date and catches the eye of anyone who is in the room with it. The inspiration came from a documentary I watched about different ecosystems and how they have changed over the years depending on what fish gather where. It also came from a memory of watching my Dad fish for mackerel. You could sometimes see the shoal swimming together. I love how the light reflects off their skin in the water.

I wanted to use orange, yellow, red and blue together with flashes of gold. It is a very energising colour combination. The marks I made across the top add energy and flow to the piece, just like the way a shoal of fish moves together in harmony. The layers of blue and green underneath give a sense of depth to the painting and a feeling of being in deep water. The more you look at it, the more you can imagine swimming with the fish and become one with the painting.