I have been drawing and painting directly from life, exploring and developing in parallel my two main interests still life and landscape, since the mid nineteen seventies.

The landscapes are painted and drawn entirely on location and still lives are from studio set-ups. I have never had any interest in painting from photography. The subject matter provides a vehicle through which selection and editing can take place and compositional, tonal and colour harmonies created. The constant working and reworking forms paint layering that gives the paintings texture. Paintings have to be seen to appreciate this.

The working process is lengthy so that a deep level of investigation can take place that enables the paintings and drawings to go beyond a superficial impression.

David Stubbs talking with Caroline Halford at his solo exhibtion at Heatherley School of Fine Art, London in 2021. Photograph taken by Carolyn Gowdy.

David Stubbs working on the large oval 2020

I don't make paintings ‘of’ things.
I paint ‘from’ things. Titling my still life paintings by colour, something I began doing while I was studying at the Slade, reflects this.

What I see and the satisfaction gained from drawing and painting from life are what inspire me to begin working.