John Knap

Sometimes, as an artist, it is quite difficult to pin point the reason you choose a subject to paint, let alone find a definite meaning behind the choice. There is certainly an emotional reaction when I see an image or subject that I want to paint. Sometimes it’s subconscious and sometimes it’s quite physical, almost like a rush of creative adrenaline. It’s initially something to do with their eyes; or their expression; or their aesthetic beauty.

For the meaning behind my work, I could rattle off many old adages – “Can’t judge a book by its cover”, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, “The eyes are the windows to the soul” etc, etc. All of which would be accurate ways of describing my motivation. But I guess it all boils down to intuition. My intuition allows me to know who I want to paint as soon as I see them. With this body of work, I have relied on this creative intuition to guide and decide who should be included.

I have chosen a variety of subjects, all female, spanning a number of age groups and backgrounds. Some are famous; some are ordinary; some have been through a lot; some have just started. Like the old onion cliché, they have many layers. I have endeavoured to express this by uniting the realistic with the deconstructed, the monochromatic with the vivid. They are strong and resilient, yet delicate and vulnerable. Some have lost this vulnerability and some have used it to their advantage. Above all, however, they are beautiful. If that’s the basic reason my intuition compels me to create, so be it. Here it is.”