In May 2021 I was awarded a DYCP grant from Arts Council England. It is funding a period of research and development focusing on the work of Hedda Sterne and her philosophy of ‘art as a process of engagement and discovery’. Hedda Sterne was a painter who spent most of her life in New York. Her paintings speak a deep truth. An independent spirit with a brilliant mind, she left a rich legacy, largely overlooked by art history. She created an extensive and diverse body of work which intersected with some of the most important art movements of the twentieth century. I have been using some of her processes and ideas as a catalyst for exploring and questioning my own creative process. This is an ongoing and a truly enlightening process, one which has opened my mind to a completely new approach to painting. I am extremely grateful to the Hedda Sterne Foundation in New York for their enthusiastic help and knowledge, as well as to Arts Council England who have made this project possible. Also to Sarah Pickstone, Christian McEwen and Susan Allen whose expert advice is ensuring clear and expansive creative thinking. It is, quite simply, the most extraordinary period of learning. I have started to write a series of blogposts which document the project and which will lead to longer pieces of writing and further research. You can read them here Blog