My scenes tend to be naturalistic, but then I might use certain clothes like costumes, or use repetitions, exaggerated gestures, or environments that are arranged like a set. This makes the scene less grounded, and more reminiscent of a play.

I often use dancers as a reference for a character - even when there is no dancing in the scene. It’s because they are so good at expressing a certain mood with their body

I try to approach painting still life the same way I would paint people. Both objects and people have the same role in setting the atmosphere of a painting and telling a specific story.
 

London

New York