‘Debutante’ | 153x102cm | Oil on canvas
I had so much fun painting this piece. It was my biggest to date and one of those rare paintings that just seemed to come together pretty quickly. The dream.
I met Rosie whilst I was living in LA for a bit. I was travelling to my friend, Tina’s house in Pasadena every day where we shared her studio for a few months.
Rosie lived with Tina and I entered their world soon after it had shattered when their beloved Matt (Tina’s husband and Rosie’s Dad) died. I’ve been friends with Tina for a good while but this was my first encounter with Rosie. It goes without saying that she is pretty astonishing to look at physically. Effortlessly striking with long limbs covered in tattoos. I think she had just shaved her head to make herself ‘unattractive’ to men after a break-up. Rosie - it didn’t work. But how fucking cool.
At the time I met Rosie she seemed to be at a point in her life where the contradiction of profound clarity and utter confusion when losing someone so important was stirring an undeniable need for change in approach to life. I wanted to capture that moment with Rosie sat in front of her Dad’s garage looking towards a hopeful future.