In the aftermath of losing my second child to cot death in 2006 I had a compulsion to create freely expressive paintings as a means of channelling my grief (Loss series ). A friend pointed out that my baby was in the top corner looking down on us and to my surprise, he was right. This was the start of me working automatically.
Dylan's loss was unexplained. I sought answers through a medium and began to train in her circle, where I was encouraged to create drawings based on guests to our sittings (Auragraph series). My hand moved intuitively, knowing what colour pastel to use and the mark to make. Afterwards, I would explain the drawing to them, relaying the rich detail it contained about them and their life.
Excited by discovering this ability, I sought to bring it in to my painting practice by making what I call Auto Trance Portraits. These paintings encapsulate an individual’s life, inspired by a photograph, a sample of their handwriting, by a recording of their voice or purely by concentrating on the person. As I said in my interview with Professor Fae Brauer: “I could materialise their lives in paint”, see here
The Manifestation series is also made automatically but is not based on specific people.
Auto Trance Portrait of Young Girl with Ringlets, 2024
Acrylic on wood, carte de visite and ink on glass, 36.5 × 45 cms
The text over the carte de visite on the right is the reading of the painting on the left.
Auto Trance Portrait of a Baby Boy from Hastings
Acrylic on wood, carte de visite and ink on glass, 36.5 × 45 cms
The text over the carte de visite on the right is the reading the painting on the left.
Auto Trance Portrait of a Young Girl with Ringlets
This photograph was taken in the Clapham Road, London (according to an inscription on the mount). From the animals that can be seen in the painting, I get the impression that she moved to Africa. There are grapes in the bottom left which give the indication that she either loved her wine or was involved in wine making.
2015-2017, Gouache on card, ink on glass, photograph, 36.7 x 50.1 cms
Auto Trance Portrait of Aunt Kitty
Her name was on the reverse of her photograph. The painting has quite a hemmed in feeling. Mostly it is outlined and I get the sense that she was quite restricted. Maybe she was a maiden aunt who was obliged to care for her parents. The face in the top left of the painting appears chaotic but creative. I think she found it hard to take time to fulfil herself. The centre shows a place to escape to - a place with water and birds.
In the collection of The College of Psychic Studies
2015-2017, Gouache on card, ink on glass, photograph, 41.8 x 62.2 cms
Auto Trance Portrait of a Lady by the Sea
This was a loving and warm woman. She and her children are shown on the left. There are a lot of birds. I think she may have kept cockatiels and/or budgies. The profile on the bottom right indicates a very loving and grounded nature. It looks to be a very happy life.
2015-2017, Gouache on card, ink on glass, photograph, 37.6 x 57 cms
Auto Trance Portrait of Mrs Martha Higgins
The title of this work relates to some writing on the back of the photograph. She sits very proudly in front of her doorway. Interestingly, in the painting there are a number of horses. there is a figure on horseback right in the centre. At the base of the horse's head is a human head bent back in an ecstatic state. My impression is that she was quite a figure within her community. A lot of people flow around her. To the right of the central horse is a sheep's head. The ecstatic face looks in deep spiritual rapture. I think she had very healing and loving hands. To the left of that head is a figure seated and someone behind (wearing a hat) appears to be doing something to them. I suspect that was Martha herself giving healing.
2015-2017, Gouache on card, ink on glass, photograph, 34.4 x 38.2
Auto Trance Portrait of a Lady in Pearls
I love the narrative in the bottom right corner of her, as a child, communing with a deer. I get the feeling that she was quite a free spirit but also very expressive. There were many layers to her. If you look at the middle top of the picture you can see several faces and I think these were all her. There are grapes in the bottom left of the picture. This can indicate a love of drinking wine. There is an older woman's face on the top left, which is more feint and that appears to be of an older, very caring woman.
2015-2017, Gouache on card, ink on glass, photograph, 42.5 x 62.2 cms
Auto Trance Portrait of Woman with Butterly Brooch at her Neck
Acrylic on wood,
This painting was interesting to make as I was caught up making marks with blue paint in the middle of the painting and intuitively painted the black in two dashes and it made a pair of fish! I also enjoy the cats who seem to be rubbing themselves against the central figure. I also like the money notes floating down, again totally unpreconceived.
Dialogue Auto Trance Portrait: Conversation Between a Mother and Her Teenage Daughter, 2022, acrylic on wood, 45 x 30 x 7 cms The left hand side was made whilst listening to the mother, the right hand side, the daughter.
Dialogue Auto Trance Portrait: A Marriage (sadly just before it ended)
I made this diptych whilst listening to a couple chatting in their kitchen in Australia. When the husband spoke, I painted on the lower painting and when the wife spoke, the piece above. I made a little painting of a QR code that had a link to the conversation on soundcloud (no longer available) to accompany the piece.
2022, acrylic on wood, 180 x 70cms
Dialogue Auto Trance Portrait: Conversation Between a Couple in Victoria, Australia, 2022, acrylic on wood, 45 x 30 x 6 cms
Dialogue Auto Trance Portrait: A Married Couple from their Signatures on the 1891 & 1901 Census for Safehouse 1, 2025. Acrylic on wood, 55 x 46 x 12 cms
Young Woman Holding on to a Chair
2018, acrylic on paper, photographic film on glass, 81 x 59.4 cms
Auto Trance Portrait of Man with Faraway Eyes
This was made whilst tuning in to a man wearing a suit and a watch on a chain. There are many characters that inhabit it, the most obvious being the Mahican Indian and an oriental-looking person. There are many birds and creatures as well as a buck with horns which can be seen on the bottom right. There is an other worldly atmosphere to this painting.
2018, Acrylic on paper 84.1 x 59.4
Young Man with Sad Eyes
Auto Trance Portrait of Young Man with Sad Eyes
This painting was made whilst tuning in to a Victorian carte de visit of a young man who has exceptionally sad eyes who looks effeminate. The painting has many sea references, such as the seal that can be seen in the lower right next to the whale whose breathing hole is spouting water. In the bottom left his face in profile can be detected by the eyes, nose, mouth and chin. There seem to be splashes and a big blue question mark surrounds a purple shape that includes two heads at the top of the painting. It appears that someone was pushed or fell or jumped off a cliff edge in to the sea. Intriguing!
2018, acrylic on paper, 81 x 59.4 cms