Original Oil On Canvas
Created 2025
100cm x 70cm
When I create a portrait my aim is always the same; to produce a painting in a realism style that sparks emotions and screams.
Choosing a subject matter is hugely important because if I want a canvas that is full of emotion I need to be painting someone who stirs the emotion in me. I am spending hundreds of hours in a studio and I want every second of it to be an emotional battle. I certainly felt that whilst creating my painting of Muhammad Ali.
Muhammad Ali has always inspired me. I really admire those people who stick by their principles and beliefs and there is no better example than Muhammad Ali. Ali refused to fight in Vietnam, he visited Iraq and spoke out about US imperialism and war. He strived for peace and he withstood unbelievable pressure imposed on him by the US government. To fight for justice, Ali knew that he had to get to the very root of the issue, the problem of racism.
I wanted to create this painting to appear as an old book, a book that wrote about the eventual defeat of racism. My aim was to create an image of a well worn book, an important book and a book that had a happy ending. Unfortunately we still have to fight against racism but this book marks hope, belief and resilience.
My art has to be a straight line from my heart to the canvas and once I establish what I want the painting to say I let the painting lead me, it has its own life. I use heavy and big brushes to paint the underpainting, applying the oil paint quite aggressively and fast. Once that is dry I use very small brushes to create the detail with the intention of creating a hyperrealism portrait. I carefully paint the letters freehand and once the painting is dry I gently sand it down exposing the under painting giving the artwork an old and worn look.The creative process is gradually creating a new artwork and then peeling away at is layers turning new into old.
This is my passion.
