These days, more and more of us realise that the world is mostly ran for the benefit of the few. I believe that we are nearing a time when the problems this causes – globally, nationally, locally and personally – can no longer be ignored. I believe a time of change is near, when society will cease to be skewed towards the needs of the few. In Elegy for the end of an empire, I mark what I believe will be the dying events of the empire of the few.
In these paintings, I use dark tones and broken surfaces to convey the sadness and deep indignation I feel about the global depression, the UK government's economic cuts and every other way in which the many suffer at the hands of the few. Similarly, I use colour and form to depict my hopes for the independence debate in Scotland, as well as the fear that the entrenched few will distort that debate.
I also use these colours and forms to create an extra layer of personal meanings, that relates to the joys and burdens which are part of being in a long-distance relationship. These are feelings that are becoming more commonplace as the world increasingly moves online.
– December 2012
![Below the surface / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/8013e55a-9dad-47a2-858e-b4a646466709_rw_1200.jpg?h=d74aa1a054a151af021018264ac15754)
Below the surface / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Below the surface / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/a11c323c-8f61-4e08-ba46-ba62d3ec2bcb_rw_1200.jpg?h=abe1a3b2bb739b62864b020e946d9e16)
Below the surface / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![The might is all / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/403c7041-5817-4d93-b007-be9602bffe9f_rw_1200.jpg?h=c3e2db7413dc6ff5c76e23b199494c5a)
The might is all / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![By a thousand cuts / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/3d8b4897-d95b-49a1-a450-b9aeab988070_rw_1200.jpg?h=fbfe58d2177f26aa58c7193f1deecf19)
By a thousand cuts / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![A drop in the ocean / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/5824272a-268f-4412-b80a-a6cf9f372944_rw_1200.jpg?h=19b6983da21aa375097eb5363976e15d)
A drop in the ocean / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![In empire's name / November 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/5defd5c9-be63-44e4-a49d-b4236befac08_rw_1200.jpg?h=fe8f562c68f0ab1d0a7d23451e8af095)
In empire's name / November 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Delayed reaction / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/5f9753dd-3280-4a21-9404-a8c0253ca00d_rw_1200.jpg?h=8e54d9c7d6aedbdded046469e00ff2e0)
Delayed reaction / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Split / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 50x76cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/01b30ef0-7824-4bdb-80bf-6842ca105a72_rw_1200.jpg?h=27459becebecb44ac8282d441f64eec2)
Split / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 50x76cm
![Stifling dissent / November 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/b9fb6ab6-edf6-4bc5-ba1d-4c92eb3a5600_rw_1200.jpg?h=032d1deff5d1784c40776a8baf17bb22)
Stifling dissent / November 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Together we rise / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/39d02aca-c40e-4c13-9549-3a437be5e633_rw_1200.jpg?h=9500412828d7cb3dee92f448ccf561fa)
Together we rise / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![The power of that which is established / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/46440b51-52a0-449a-b1d1-f8c417fbe43f_rw_1200.jpg?h=2cb4192e68b7304cb29751d4198813db)
The power of that which is established / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Tomorrow's dust is riven by today / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/0541ddc6-dd02-441a-93f8-eec0e6babc6a_rw_1200.jpg?h=f297733b3d8ce8e36053e40c1815ce33)
Tomorrow's dust is riven by today / September 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Irreconcilable / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/e9bccfab-ce20-4abb-ab6c-22ea952c0661_rw_1200.jpg?h=90c5bfd24f32de4d5ad89044b787d19b)
Irreconcilable / August 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Critical mass / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/7f80a92a-3e06-42ab-b92b-b1a7a7470cb5_rw_1200.jpg?h=3f46e1ba64d2e545a74ebdceeb37abb3)
Critical mass / December 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![There is a hope / October 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/a3f8fe98-e282-4c0b-a04f-1a592ecd222c_rw_1200.jpg?h=2568dfb6df8a89057134c5df7cc34187)
There is a hope / October 2012 / Mixed media on panel / 30x30cm
![Agent provocateur / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/adfb2f51-04f3-475b-a430-f506cec06365_rw_1200.jpg?h=e7dffebdd1200f3167fd22664010b13a)
Agent provocateur / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm
![Behind closed doors / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/b60eb1b7-5c09-4f8a-8028-5d75f17e73f3_rw_600.jpg?h=7b42dc8ff3d6993b5af149c6253e0cf4)
Behind closed doors / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm
![In their midst / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/b2bc20fb-2338-4481-b029-fe5e5ceba87a_rw_1200.jpg?h=068fb01322a3a48b14b20117e59642e3)
In their midst / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm
![Better together / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/5418e13a-ec06-4aac-84e0-12f557e23225_rw_1200.jpg?h=496c8c2d75704f789678b07550ff014f)
Better together / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm
![Force for change / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/367bc0df-e986-41d1-80b0-d874934c9de6_rw_600.jpg?h=af9554efc449bf7ac648365fda795b4a)
Force for change / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm
![Here and no further / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/9f44bcdf-a457-44ff-83d2-6adcd6b3e3a4_rw_600.jpg?h=1bfdf5fb9c013e4f2f16be2724a090aa)
Here and no further / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm
![Rebellious to crush / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/3c54521e-97ae-41b3-9504-6de24de79886_rw_1200.jpg?h=a44bca55f251cf1893413b7617ab42b3)
Rebellious to crush / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm
![Send her victorious / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/2aff1936-40a8-41cb-bdda-281d7be0ca22_rw_1200.jpg?h=0086b5044151b9e065ac80d649ae3703)
Send her victorious / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm
![The core / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/e540e5d5-2684-4e62-b4cb-fe8c945acb5a_rw_1200.jpg?h=d7f5991f9d3945386b1d6022fac68439)
The core / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm
![The left is on the right / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/4dcacf49-1e5a-410e-8977-37b6ecf3d8bf_rw_1200.jpg?h=7912e4ed1466d3b96e2a659cc450c002)
The left is on the right / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm
![The squeezed middle / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/25cf3028-97ff-493f-8e8e-bf87365bf67c_rw_600.jpg?h=450ddd5981a5c58d76da5d5bc1080f1e)
The squeezed middle / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm
![Tipping point / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/1839ab83-0bb7-4d58-a9f3-409e584c9fdd_rw_600.jpg?h=160f0b6d18a56d6352d8c9a902fcb187)
Tipping point / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm
![Voice in the wilderness / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/ee6dd597-1c4b-443d-9168-10e9199905b7_rw_600.jpg?h=c0769c3d5f8a2719197803f8c4792e9f)
Voice in the wilderness / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 24x16cm
![Working from the inside / October 2012 / Mixed media on paper / 16x24cm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/47b5d06291c5cd5bccb269312f79aa2d/3f025d0a-1698-4b9e-ab5f-408abe111815_rw_1200.jpg?h=9e15ec4671790646f15f38852789a8b6)