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As well as painting, I am interested in researching historical archives and finding old photographs. This exhibition combined all three activities. The paintings are inspired by the nineteenth century Nottingham Convict Books held by the Wolfson Archive at Nottingham Galleries of Justice.

Photographs, like people and history, are ambiguous. The convicts stare out. Running alongside their photos in the Convict Books are their personal details: e.g. name (and aliases), age, height, and occupation. However, instead of making all clear, very little seems obvious. Why are so many convicts well-dressed? Why should a thief look so proud and noble that only the words 'stealing rose trees' indicate crime? (This was John Edward's crime.) Why indeed should someone who stole rose trees go to prison?

The name boards people hold are often faded. I took this one step further. Instead of their names, the words on the boards relate to their jobs or random pieces of information about them. I loved the photographs and responded to them but there is no final clarification.

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