Experiencing other cultures is critical to my growth as an artist and individual. I take creative retreats or holidays to explore as much as possible. My time away is full of art whether it be galleries, museums, studio tours or contemplation and observation of environments. Whether or not it is a creative retreat, the countries impress concepts on me. Sometimes I sketch and journal them while I’m away and then create the painting when I’m back in studio.

The whites of Rome and an early morning walk to the Spanish steps inspired this orange. While wandering around I spotted a vendor of fresh fruit. It was so beautifully displayed and incredibly appetizing. My mouth watered when my eyes fell on the bed of oranges. For those of you that don’t know, when you go to a street vendor in Italy, you may peruse the fruit with your eyes but you don’t touch it - you point out your choice of fruit, the vendor picks it up (in gloves) shows it to you for inspection and then you may accept and enjoy the fruit. We sat at the bottom of the steps watching the square come alive as we ate my orange - one of the best I’ve ever had.

A fabulous cacophony of people, sound, architecture and smokey blue moments — Hong Kong. My visit to HK was an amazing venture of masses of people in one moment, beautifully lit buildings, a ride on the ferry to a hike up a mountain. This painting is my memory of the ‘new’ airport and it captures all of my feelings in line, form and colour that this beautiful culture evoked.

Often my concepts come round to the series I have been working for some time (figurative, abstract) and reflect the feelings, meetings, and environment — the romance of St. Lucia, the people of Jamaica, the heat of Barbados.  I do believe all of my travel contributes to my palette - the most impactful realization of this was during a retreat in Mérida, Mexico. That series stimulated a palette of bright oranges, yellows and reds that was atypical yet quite regular in my work now.