How do you say ‘5ftinf’?

Five Foot Inf

What does 5ftinf mean?

The name came into existence due to me having to make a very quick decision which I always intended to change. It’s basically my height, and an abbreviation of a Charles’ Dickens character ‘The Infant Phenomenon’, because ‘Inf’ was a nickname I had for a while.

How do you come to have so many colourful bits and pieces?

I’ve always loved collecting the everyday objects; ones which can get overlooked or thrown away. A lot of my bits come directly from my family but also lots have come from flea markets and car boot sales over the years. Often the pieces are small and so miscellaneous that I like to keep them in jars and bowls according to their colour. These in turn have become part of my domestic surroundings now and create a type of 3D colour palette which I regularly use in my images and finding a new object to add to my palette feels similar to buying a new paint. I also have a small garden, which I absolutely love, and I glean as much colour and texture from there as I can.

What inspires your images?

Taking a photograph of an element of calm, a piece of overlooked texture or a table full of miscellaneous colourful objects, is usually a meditation on something going on inside my head which I can only express visually. My images create some sort of personal document for me; how I see the world, how it all fits together, and whilst I will always aspire to have my life well ordered, most of the time that order only really comes together on a very small corner my table.

What camera do you use?

All my photos are taken with my iPhone, even the ones in my book and I edit with Instagram tools. I have learned to be quick and take loads of shots and the iPhone suits me perfectly; taking away the intimidation I’ve had in the past towards ‘proper’.

Can I commission work from you?

Yes, I am always really happy to be given a specific brief to work with! A painting commission is always on the understanding that the finished piece is my own personal response to something and I wouldn’t ever be able to change a composition to suit a room better. However, I do share my preliminary sketches in the early stages of the commission process just to make sure you’re happy with the direction I’m going in. With photographic commissions, I am much more flexible with the compositions and I am happy to work to a tight or loose brief as well as including either 1 or 2 rounds of notes.

Do you teach people?

Yes, I offer 1:1 mentoring sessions online, bespoke workshops, an online course, photowalks and various other ad hoc creative things, which you’ll get to hear about if you sign up to my newsletter. And there are always my ‘Conscious Creativity’ books to help you on your creative journey.

Can I send you something to put on your table?

I like to try and keep The Table an inspirational one, rather a promotional one, although I do create work for brands too. I’m usually expected to work within a tight brief for these commissioned opportunities which, in turn, allow me to continue to work on my own ideas as a freelance artist.