12/06/2026
Chasing the Brushstroke
Finding spontaneity in stone.
Mosaics often involve a great deal of planning. Here's a trade secret: most of the work in a mosaic is done before a single tessera (the individual pieces used to make a mosaic) is cut.
This can sometimes create a mosaic-by-numbers effect, which, in my opinion, is why mosaic is often described as a craft rather than an art. Give me an afternoon with an accomplished tiler who has never tried mosaics before, and together we could make something impressive.
Looking at portrait painters—especially those who are playful in their expression and use of colour, playful in the sense that they are present and willing to experiment—I'm often envious of the possibilities afforded by their materials. A single brushstroke can tell a story in and of itself. The way paint begins thick and rich, then trails off into a thin whisper of colour, is something unique to the medium.
With my incompletism technique, I try to reorganise that chaos—that flick of the wrist that would splatter paint—into something that is recognisable at first glance, but which also invites a more earnest look and rewards sustained attention.
I hope to have achieved the vibrancy that only youth can display, alongside a measured and focused attention to the subject's key features. Considerable effort was spent honouring the planes of the face, creating a sense of soft undulation with such a hard and unforgiving material.
Completed in 2026
120cm x 80cm
Framed
on board
