The Gift: A Little Magic, a Little Mystery

What is she holding? A little king? A puppet? A precious gift?

The Gift is an original mixed media painting on paper, created during a live model drawing session with the Royal Drawing School in December 2025.

Working from a live model on the Royal Drawing School's Live Studio stream, I allowed observation and imagination to come together. Bold, expressive lines and vibrant washes of pink, turquoise, orange and red bring the figure to life, while the little crowned character introduces an element of storytelling.

I love the way a drawing can begin with something real and gradually reveal an unexpected world of its own.

There is something wonderfully theatrical about this image. The figure's expression, the playful little character and the movement of colour across the paper leave plenty of room for the imagination.

Who is giving the gift, and who is receiving it? Perhaps the story is different for everyone who looks at it.

A little world of imagination

The Gift is part of a set of five original mixed media paintings, each with its own character and story.

The five works would look particularly delightful displayed together, perhaps in a child's bedroom, a reading corner or a playful family space. Their expressive colours and whimsical imagery invite children and adults alike to dream up stories of their own.

Each painting is an individual original artwork, but together they create a lively conversation between figures, colours and imagined worlds.

On display for the first time since its making in Basel from mid-November

Artwork details

• Title: The Gift

• Year: 2025

• Original, one-of-a-kind artwork

• Medium: Mixed media on paper

• Dimensions: 35.5 × 28 cm

• Drawn from a live model during the Royal Drawing School's Live Studio online stream

• Part of a set of five original artworks

• Unframed

Shipping and framing

Your original artwork will be sent carefully wrapped and securely packaged to protect it during transport.

I recommend professional framing, preferably with an acid-free mount, to protect the work on paper and beautifully present it in your home.