Original acrylic painting on canvas 180 × 120 cm overall (diptych) Two canvas panels, each measuring 90 × 120 cm Ready to hang, unframed
Blue Interior with Guardian is a large abstract painting inspired by my own living room and my ever-growing collection of blue-and-white china and Chinese foo dogs, both of which I find rather difficult to resist.
The painting began with familiar objects from around my home, but as it developed, the room became less literal and the objects started to take on a life of their own. A patterned vase, leafy houseplants and a rather watchful blue foo dog emerge from a jumble of shapes, loose brushstrokes and shifting perspectives.
I've always been interested in the way ordinary domestic spaces can become strange and slightly surreal through painting. Here, the objects drift between recognition and abstraction, while the little blue guardian seems quite happy keeping an eye on proceedings.
Painted across two adjoining canvases in a palette of soft blues, deep indigo and green, with unexpected flashes of pink.
