For some time I have been making a personal study of female physiognomy, investigating what makes up the beauty in those faces I am drawn to as subject matter.  There is certainly no convention I have discovered for my choice of subjects, but rather interesting skin colours, bone structure s and a certain sense of self possession , or some intangible combination of these together.

Whilst watching and considering the actors, all of whom were women, in Klesidra's production of Cymberline, I took up the challenge to paint these women not as themselves but as they are in their roles, almost all of whom are men.  I am not usually interested directly in the
psychological element of making paintings.  I mostly focus on how to recreate a physical likeness, without being too literal, while coming up with a  striking and complete image.  In this case however the psychological entered the work despite my usual practice of focussing on
the physical.

I found this challenge liberating as I became more interested in making the painting become the character and less a likeness and homage to a specific personal beauty.

I thank the theatre company Klesidra, Imogen Kusch and all her actresses for their generous collaboration and the time they gave me for my study.  I love watching them play."

The exhibition accompanies a trilogy of Shakespeare plays produced by Klesidra and directed by Imogen Kusch.