My approach
My approach to Uniform & Identity is rooted in the belief that a portrait should reveal something about the individual beyond their physical appearance.
As an artist, a veteran and someone who has spent much of my own life in uniform, I have a personal connection to the subject. I understand how military service can shape a person’s identity, but I am equally interested in what happens when that service becomes one part of a much bigger life story.
I don’t want to paint traditional military portraits. There are no formal poses, rows of medals or obvious displays of rank. Instead, I want to explore the person behind the service record and the uniform. Who are they today? What matters to them? What experiences, relationships and interests have shaped the person they have become?
Each portrait begins with a conversation. I ask the sitter about themselves, their experiences, their present-day lives and how they see their own identity. I am interested in the things they might not immediately think are important, as much as the obvious milestones of their military careers. These conversations, alongside photographs and personal observations, help inform the direction of each painting.
I consider the composition, setting, posture, expression and objects that might feature in the work. These are deliberate choices rather than simply background details. A particular environment, an everyday object or the way someone holds themselves can communicate something about their identity that a uniform never could.
Artistically, I draw on my interest in expressive oil painting, colour, texture and visible brushwork. I want the paintings to retain a sense of the individual sitter while allowing my own interpretation and painterly approach to come through. I am not necessarily looking for a perfect photographic likeness; I am interested in capturing something of the person’s character and presence.
Every portrait is different because every individual is different. Some compositions are more considered and structured, while others develop through experimentation and a response to the sitter’s personality and lifestyle. I want the finished paintings to feel individual rather than part of a formula.
Ultimately, my approach is about looking beyond the obvious. Military service is an important part of these people’s stories, but it is not the entirety of who they are. I want to give space to the person who exists beyond the uniform, exploring the relationship between their past experiences and the lives they lead today.
For me, the challenge is not simply to paint someone who has served, but to paint something of the person they are now.
