My aim in this portrait was to capture the face with its multiplicity of emotion in its ‘uncomposed’ state. I wanted to show that our faces are made up of many experiences and pasts, moods and emotions. I wanted to show how our lives are reflected on our faces.

I started with lots of sketches and ink drawings gradually selecting them out and building them up. Then, cutting all the portraits up into smaller pieces I spread them on the studio floor and began to reassemble them.