Pit Stop

Pit Stop began with an unexpected reflection during a late-night stop at Cornwall Services. Artificial lights stretch and distort across the bonnet of the car, turning an ordinary pause on the journey home into something briefly unfamiliar.

The idea for Pit Stop arrived completely unexpectedly.

I was travelling home after an evening in Plymouth when we stopped at Cornwall Services for something to eat. Sitting in the car, I noticed the lights from the service station reflected across the bonnet in front of me.

It was one of those immediate that's a painting moments.

What interested me wasn't really the service station itself, but what the light was doing to it. The reflections distorted the familiar shapes and colours, creating an image that takes a moment to understand; first you notice the colour and light, and then realise that much of what you're looking at is a reflection.

I kept the viewpoint from inside the car, looking across the bonnet rather than stepping outside to create a more conventional view. That perspective became an important part of the painting, placing the viewer directly within the pause rather than looking at it from a distance.

The title Pit Stop came naturally. It was exactly that: a brief stop during a longer journey, before getting back on the road and continuing home.

Painting coming soon...