One of Paul's major concerns, when painting the figure, is to create a sense of intimacy between the viewer and the painting. He wants the experience to feel slightly detached and by doing so create tension and awareness.

The figure is slightly abstracted / stylised and displaced in a way that provokes the spectator to sever any personal connection with the subject. It then leaves the viewer to interpret what they will from the painting and take away their own ideas on what they have seen and experienced.

The process PauI uses when working on the figure has a strong influence on how a painting will transpire, as there is an element of unpredictability. The random uncertainty of the paint splatters can completely dictate how a painting will evolve and eventually be finished.

Paul Bennett's work is expressional at its core with a strong focus on mark-making. It is important to his working practice the way in which it mark-making evolves, but is always erased and then elaborated on. By using influenced,  but random mark making, one never knows what direction the painting will take.  

The loss of control is liberating, but is always dictated at some level. Anything can happen on the canvas and it can't always be foreseen. Unconscious impulses, following one's feelings, and the use of intuitive judgement are essential to the natural development of Paul's painting process.

Infused with this is the building of layer upon layer of paint with the hope that with repetition there will be something new.

The seascapes Paul creates are influenced from exploring some of the lesser known and more isolated wildernesses along the U.K.'s coastline. The untouched, rugged shores with the backdrop of quick changing and unpredictable weather, with its haunting skies, low sun, long shadows and wild clouds. The still air devoid of sound apart from the waves hitting the beach. Winding rock pools and resting on the horizon are  distant islands coming in and out of view, fighting their way through the mist. The bleak is balanced with the wild.

Paul attempts to capture these shores with the use of layers of thick oil paint, paint splatters and the use of the brush and palette knife. The sky is interpreted  as sweeping blues and yellows/browns and brings contrast to the composition. The final work is slightly abstracted, but I aim to maintain the sense of being remote.