Hope and joy are so often in short supply. All these paintings tap into the belief that colour has a powerful effect on mood. I am convinced that we have to be active in creating an environment in which we are stimulated and encouraged to hope. Rebecca Solnit writes: "Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency.” These paintings are me wielding my axe. They are a reminder to keep choosing the way of hope.