(The skies cracked open as the Eurofighter went supersonic)

80x110cm, oil on canvas 2020-2025

(Private collection)

This painting took approximately 5 years to come together. Over those 5 years many elements were added and removed until the painting felt complete. It was exhibited in as part of my solo exhibitions in both Cahir Arts (2025) and at the Waterford Gallery of Art (2026).

I have many images of the progress and layers of this painting but the below set of images show the main stages.

As you’ll see in the images below, the painting really began as a calm, serene landscape based on the fields and skies up behind my studio in Fife. However, after starting this painting, while out for more walks a Eurofighter went supersonic overhead, sounding like it tore a hole in the sky which started a spiral of layers of thoughts and imagery across the initial serene scene. The circular ripple (centre-left) is an attempt to paint the sound of the sonic boom.

The blue sky in the centre of the image derives from an inverted (and rotated) section of the central figure’s yellow robe in Nicholas Poussin’s ‘Extreme Unction’ painting, (held by The National Gallery of Scotland, image below).