My latest painting, Tom (2021), depicts renowned criminal defence barrister, Tom Percy QC. Tom has been my mentor since 2019.
He has taught me the importance of criminal defence as a safeguard for our judicial system. He embodies hard work and has made a real difference in the world.
Tom has worked tirelessly for more than four decades in Law and in ensuring that wrongful convictions are not permitted to stand. It is these attributes that have inspired my painting.
I wanted Tom (2021) to capture the energy, vibrancy and colour that Tom brings to the legal profession.
Vibrancy and Colour
For this reason, I chose a composition that placed him as the focal point of the painting. Similarly, I did this in my paintings, Brando (2018) and Cary (2018).
I wanted Tom to have as a commanding presence on the canvas as he does in real life. Moreover, it was my intention to capture his sense of humour and conviviality.
Significantly, the palette for Tom (2021) featured the colours pink, yellow and blue, in honour of Tom’s father’s racing colours.
I replicated this trifecta of colours both on the tie and through the background and skin tone. I kept the background neutral using a pale blue. I then juxtaposed this with warm ochre tones for the foreground.
The skin tone had a basis of pink with coral for warmth and a hint of yellow for balance. For the suit jacket, I used dark blue with some highlights to create depth.
The result truly captures the personality and charm of the subject. Tom (2021) is a tribute to a mentor, legal stalwart and incredibly down to earth person. I hope this painting will inspire future generations to indefatigably fight for justice and to do it with humility, great panache and joie de vivre just as Tom does.