Painting

“The Spirit Entering into the Hands”

Wang Wei, Li Po and Tu Fu were the great poets of the Tang dynasty. And Wang Wei is credited with being the originator of what was to become the Sung dynasty school of literati painting.

“A Mood Called Matrophilia”

It is said of all noh drama that “it sets out not to tell a story but to create a mood.” Well, to quite an extent my art is Japanese-inspired so perhaps it does resemble a noh play for it certainly tells no story and I hope for it to create a mood which for want of a better word I call Matrophilia.

“Balancing the Canvas with a Dot”

The power inherent in one dot: its yang so strong that it can balance the yin of a large canvas – if it is at just the right spot.

“The Death of Shisui”

About to die, the Zen monk Shisui was asked by his disciples to write a death poem. He grasped his brush, painted a circle – and died.

“The Tunnel Underneath Waterloo Station”

Many times I’ve gone to the disused road tunnel under Waterloo Station to photograph all the graffiti. So much there is – for it is permitted.

“The Painter’s Eye”

The painter’s eye, in meditation free, does fly from earth to Heaven, from Heaven to earth,

“An Emissary of the Spirit World”

Every artist, whether he knows it or not, is an emissary of the Spirit World.

“Seeing a Painting as Spirit”

The Tendai school of Buddhism believes that every single thing is imbued with Spirit – is Spirit made manifest.

“Creativity: The Grateful Giving Back”

All acts of Creativity are the grateful giving back what was given.

“My Painting Room”

Let me tell you of the room where I do nearly all my painting. There are many physical influences there, but I'll now just mention the Chinese because they seem to be the more powerful.