‘Alone’ (2017-2019) based on the poem ‘Alone’ (1829), featuring the famous quote, “And all I lov’d I lov’d alone.”

The main theme in this painting is childhood. The poem mentions it in the very first line, from the view of someone looking back on difficult times when escapism was necessary, and which they have carried with them since. The colours reflect this, as children grow up painting in the primary colours of red, blue and yellow, or as the poem puts them, “the red cliff of the mountain”, the “autumn tint of gold” and “the rest of Heaven was blue.” It is by far the most colourful of my Poe series and I expect it to be the only one not based in the usual black and theme-colour model.

The figure in the centre remembers her childhood and carries it with her, just like the narrator. She represents the romantic dreamer common to all cultures and periods of history. She cannot escape the thunder and the storm and the cloud that took the form of a demon in her view, but wherever she is going, she will take them, and create something beautiful from the mystery which binds her still.

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Acrylic on greyboard, 210 x 297mm.

Daler Rowney FW inks: Black, Indian Yellow, Process Cyan, Prussian Blue, Red Earth, Yellow Ochre.

W&N Galeria paint: Titanium White.

1. Pencil underdrawing.

2. Base colour layout & first layer of white detailing

2. Developed washes & detailing. Additional architectural detailing added to terrain.

4. Finished piece with worked cloud, architectural & lettering detail.