Sasha Harding

For me, painting is all about capturing a moment in time, a snapshot – the distillation of a scene down to its core elements.

Perhaps unusually for a painter, from the initial spark of an idea I’ll write down words and come to a title before the accompanying forms take shape, setting a strong narrative from which to work. Then I’ll turn to my sketchbook and very carefully plan the layout and conjure up the characters, meaning that when the time comes to put paint to canvas the picture is already fully-fledged. The actual painting is the very final stage of the process; the fun part.

I only ever use three specific paint colours (and white) – a limited palette that allows me to concentrate on content and form rather than colour.

In all my work, I aim to strike a balance between the pensive and the silly, the serious and the absurd, injecting quirkiness and humour in careful measures. The resulting juxtapositions very much reflect my personality.

​Keen on having a healthy work/life balance, I spend a lot of time on or in or by the sea, often returning to the studio inspired by something or someone I’ve seen while out on a fishing or kayaking trip. And, suitably refreshed, I’ll start the endlessly fulfilling process again.