Artists’ subjects are sometimes random and unplanned, especially when they paint in the open air. Painting can also be a very cerebral and premeditated process, particularly studio work. This body of work has taken me through both paths and both have excited and challenged me.

The Venice rooftops are an example of the former; irresistible and spontaneous, thrust upon me as it were, as sometimes the best works are.

A visit to Ken Howard’s studio Oriel came about through our mutual framer Christina Leder. This led to the painting of Ken Howard RA at Oriel, which was done spontaneously, and I saw the painting take shape for me as he stood at his easel. I sketched him whilst we chatted.

The Young Fencers (Les Jeunes Escrimeurs) is a more planned affair and I knew the exact image I wanted, making studies of the figures on location and working on the large piece in the studio.

Marrakech is frenetic, exciting and challenging to say the least. The atmosphere and energy of the city are ever present, and I hope I have captured some of this in this exhibition.

A trip to Paris resulted in my large Place Des Vosges work. Making the studies of this quite complicated and imposing square was a wonderful experience on this particular day. The Festival de Musique was in full swing and an impromptu choir singing the Beatles “All you need is Love” beautifully next to me as I painted, was, to say the least, surreal.

My first visit to Pin Mill in Suffolk was magical in every way. A fellow painter with me that day proclaimed that this was probably the most paintable quarter mile in the world. It certainly was that day.

The rather large Artist, Tite Street captures artist Jemma Phipps in her studio. This is where Whistler, Sickert, Johns and Sargent all worked and it is a lovely example of the relatively few Victorian artists’ studios that still remain. The window (looking on to The Royal Hospital) is stunning and the studio has gravitas and atmosphere. My aim was to capture the thrusting pose, studio paraphernalia and the quality of light and it was lovely to paint.

Finally, the ‘Cricketers’ series. This came about through one of those inspired encounters walking with friends over a sunny London common and stumbling upon this colourful site. I ran to get my paints to capture the scene. The culmination of this work is Final Innings, a work of which I am particularly proud.

These elements all combine to form this show. Artists can plan and find their muse or the muse can find them, but either way one has to be motivated and moved by a subject to capture it on canvas.

Paul Rafferty, Mougins 2015