| Paul speaks about this exhibition: “Travel, be it in this country or elsewhere, is great for opening up ideas and moving your work on. This collection has come about through a number of visits to the Middle East, mainly in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Many different experiences go into these paintings, like walking the sand dunes of the Empty Quarter, driving through the Hajar mountain range leading into Oman, or swimming the beautiful coastline of the Mussandam. Working on location, whether in the desert or on a beautiful coastline, the ideas gained all feed my work back in the studio. I am continually experimenting with texture and mixed media in my painting. I take a lot of photos when travelling and use them by working with collage. Some of these collaged sketches are used to gain an insight into a painting, others I think, become important works in their own right. Colour has also become a stronger element in this group of paintings. This has come about through the need to express the vibrancy of this part of the world, which has become such a major inspiration in my work.” |
