As we come to the end of 2025 the realisation that maybe a painting is more special than a photograph in our super digital world.
It has been years since I have painted a portrait and I have to say it was with trepidation that I accepted a commission to paint this attractive couple. But from beginning to end it has been a delight. The commission was for a Christmas present and has been given, received and loved so I can share my last piece of work for 2025. Working on this and seeing it received with such joy and love, made me ponder on the nature of an oil painting. It is not a direct replica of the person or image, it is never going to carry the same near perfection of a photograph but it has something more authentic. It has the work that shows someone spent time contemplating this person, object or place. It is the representation of the spirit of the person, or place. I might be changed to enhance the feeling of time or mood, to pop in what is important and leave out what really does not matter. I have spent years wondering why work so hard painting a landscape from a photo when after all the photo is the...