Gary Goodman, 'Garden'

Gary Goodman’s work transcribes his authentic experience of the world. His absorbing pieces feature figures, landscapes and animals, each element building a visual story. Goodman revels in the beauty of nature, taking time to regularly explore the landscapes near his Worthing home. His pieces are honest, reflecting how he ingests the world and are therefore mainly filled with beauty, joy, and connection. The darkness is there too, creeping in as a thundercloud in the corner, but Goodman mainly projects the wonder of his day-to-day. His paintings are an exercise in memory and imagination, as he instinctively responds to creatures, trees, or people observed in the world. He will begin with one subject, say a deer or an oak tree, and then develop the painting around it: each new form complementing the last, until there is an enchanting narrative in front of him. Goodman says of his process: ‘my work isn’t really about anything but instead ‘of’ something. It is an exercise in magic. I’m trying to get through the wardrobe into my own personal Narnia.’