"In my practice I primarily work with oil paints on canvas. The subjects of my broader work are rooted in contemporary society, specifically regarding the heightened socio-political uncertainties of our time. When I speak of this, I am referring to the current and ongoing pandemic, the housing crisis and climate change. These are some of society's unresolved challenges and could all be considered a crisis. In my practice I employ spontaneous mark making to express a sense of uncertainty and unease aiming to reflect upon these current, global reaching uncertainties. When working on a piece I am inclined to put a heavy amount of importance on the initial layers as these set the rest of any painting up for how it may feel later, whether that be warm, cold in nature or somewhere in-between. I am interested in how layering colours and mark making can play with ideas relating to more obscure, abstract, human qualities such as emotions or feelings. I find colours used and how they are layered lend themselves to this consideration quite well. Just as an arrangement of notes in a musical composition can portray a multitude of moods, so too can arrangements of colour. With the piece 'Soft Inside' the aim was to produce an individual work which considered components of crises in an indirect, obscure and abstract manner along with the emotional aspects that come with this. In layering a mix of cooler muted colours, cold and vibrant moments the intention is to bring elements representing melancholy, fear as well as and most importantly hope, existing together, mingling in a spatial composition with neither one overriding the other. A reflection upon current circumstances and the differing affect upon us as individuals."