Cave Door (2009) Oil on Canvas
In 2009 I visited Cappadocia in central Turkey, a semi-arid region known for its distinctive “fairy chimneys”; tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered in Göreme and elsewhere. The Bronze Age homes were carved into valley walls by troglodytes (cave dwellers) and later used as refuges by early Christians.
I became fascinated by these caves and spent a lot of time sitting in them; imagining what it must have been like as a Christian under threat from those living in the surrounding area hostile to Christianity. In one cave I even fantasized about rolling the heavy stone over the entrance way and staying in there for a long time.
The exhibition that followed in September 2010 was a result of these experiences.
I combined my 'cave paintings' with some still life paintings that I had been working on concurrently and the exhibition came together. Despite the fact that the exhibition was not well-attended, six of the thirteen paintings sold and they all stayed in London.
Exploring the caves near Goreme, Turkey.
Yellow (2009) Oil on Canvas
The Light Outside the Window (2009) Oil on Canvas
