"Busked"

Since January this year I have been working on a large scale painting, based on Dundee busker Alan, entitled “Busked.” This is the first painting I have done for about 5 years, which was a journey in itself, but I am very happy with the outcome.

Back in December 2010, I approached Alan on Dundee‘s high street, where I asked him if he would be willing to pose for me. He was more than happy to accept, proving to be quite a friendly guy, opposed to his rough exterior. I found his face immediately stood out from a busy crowd and told a harsh story of missed opportunities, through his love of music, yet he still remains to stand his ground and keep on playing.

“Busked” was originally intended for the BP Portrait Award 2011, but due to a number of factors such as lack of time, scale and experimentation, the piece failed to meet it’s deadline. However, there are a number of up and coming competitions that (all being well) will prove to be more successful.