Under Pressure is a collection of Mini paintings inspired by night dives while training as a commercial diver in the cold, dark waters of Fort William, Scotland. I had worked for many years as a photographer specialising in water environments, and in the UK, unless you are working solely for the recreational diving press, a commercial diving qualification is required to work underwater as a photographer.
One night dive in particular has stayed with me. Working in pairs, we walked into a lake at midnight, heavy boots keeping us pinned to the bottom as our torches cut through the murky water.
What surprised us was the light we did not take with us. As we moved, bioluminescent plankton sparkled all around. We jumped up and down waving our arms to make the water glow. Our torch beams caught flashes of colour from fish and bits of equipment on the lake floor, while the moon danced across the surface lighting the waves above.
The sensations of those night dives resurfaced while I painted this collection of Minis: darkness and sudden colour, glints of metal, shifting light and the strange beauty of a Scottish loch at night. These small mixed‑media works translate that experience into abstract form. Built in layers with brushes, palette knives, texture paste and gold leaf, each piece reflects the tension, immersion and unexpected wonder of those dives. Will I upscale this collection to larger canvases? Maybe. I have not decided yet, the idea is tempting. In the meantime, enjoy these Minis.
