When I began work on The Outsider, I knew I wanted to explore a moment that was both fleeting and emotionally charged, a heartbeat in which everything is about to change.
My inspiration came from one of the most iconic works in art history, Gustav Klimt's The Kiss. While Klimt immortalised the moment of embrace, I found myself fascinated by what comes just before: that short instant when inhibition and desire meet in a delicate but undeniable dance.
In The Outsider, the woman exists at that threshold. Her carefully cultivated restraint begins to fracture as the man leans in. It is the cusp of surrender, yet the possibility exists for retreat; at this point he’s still an outsider. This is what gives the work its tension. As a woman artist, I wanted to capture the energy of anticipation - a story told in the breath before it becomes a kiss.
The Creative Journey Behind The Outsider
The Outsider was one of the first paintings in the Undercurrents Series. I used it as the image for the poster and promotional material of my first Solo Exhibition in London - Heartbeat. Painting The Outsider was an emotional experience. Executed with acrylic gouache on board, the work benefited from the medium’s unique qualities - its matte finish, fluidity, and ability to create precise yet subtle tonal shifts. The intersecting shapes are a metaphor for the push-and-pull of intimacy and hesitation.
The Outsider was featured on a full page in Living South Magazine in 2012, when I was interviewed about Colourful World, the fibreglass egg I painted for the first Faberge Big Egg Hunt.
Influences and Interpretations
Klimt’s influence was the starting point, but The Outsider is also deeply personal. I find that my most resonant works are born when influences blend with my own lived experiences.
The bold, clean shapes could be seen as emotional armour, while the softness of overlapping curves suggests the moment her armour begins to fall away. The interplay of cool tones, blues, greys, and muted whites, conveys calm contemplation, while the warmer undertones hint at the passion just beneath the surface.
Every viewer seems to find something different here: some focus on the female and find the male shadow behind her menacing, while others, like me, focus on the romantic possibility, others yet, on the fragility of trust. That multiplicity of interpretations is a quality I prize. It means the piece lives beyond me, in the minds and emotions of those who encounter it.
From Studio to Art Collection
While I hold a deep connection to the original acrylic painting, and I have kept it for many years, I also wanted to make The Outsider more widely accessible to collectors. For those unable to acquire the original, museum-quality giclée prints are available.
These collectible reproductions capture the tonal subtleties of the original artwork with remarkable fidelity. It’s important to note that these prints should be glazed when framed, to protect the acid free paper and ensure longevity. Museum quality glass will further increase the longevity of the prints, which shouldn’t be exhibited in direct sunlight.
For curators, The Outsider works exceptionally well in thematic exhibitions exploring intimacy, human relationships, or the emotional landscapes of contemporary life. It invites dialogue within a gallery space, between artworks, between viewers, and between the work and its audience.
Do you remember?
I remember those moments, before a first kiss… Do you?
The moment before a kiss, before an embrace, is a moment where infinite outcomes are possible.
In bringing this to life, I hope I’ve created a piece that will resonate deeply, whether it hangs in the home of a private collector or graces the walls of a public gallery.
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