Giclee print edition of 100 on archival Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper

25 x 30 cm

I have had a Muse for more than a decade. (I define 'Muse' as my favourite person to paint - one whose form, features and company is endlessly inspiring.) My Muse is my best friend and was my date to Tate Britain one night, where there was a wonderful event held in the big 'Hockney: 60 Years of Work' exhibition back in 2017.

Actor Alan Cumming performed from 'Animals', the book of letters between writer Christopher Isherwood and artist Don Bachardy underneath Hockney's glorious double portrait of the pair. Afterwards, I had much fun having the muse stand against my favourite Hockneys in his Alexander McQueen peacock blue suit - the perfect pairings.

The little 'Pocket Hockneys' I produced for the One Hundred Pictures that year sold out in minutes, so this year I thought I'd produce a limited edition of two of them.

A Bigger Splash, painted in California in 1967 is possibly 'peak Hockney'. He will be forever associated with the blue skies and azure swimming pools of LA at that time - of lithe young men staring into the blue depths or exploding their glassy surfaces. I loved doing a tiny version of the painting, pitted against the silhouette of my muse.