Hettie Judah on Tamsin Morse from 'A Gate of Horns; Myths of Resistence, Symbols of Defiance' at Carl Freedman Gallery, 2025

'A Painting About Pruning; Remembering Hydra'

Referencing the severing of Hydras head; each time Hercules severed a head, two more would grow back. I am using this as a metaphor for current conflict and the banality of overwhelming aggression. "The soldiers are paid to fight. The rebels aren't. What does that tell you? ...... They could win." - Michael Corleone to Hyman Roth - The Godfather Part II. In addition, the two figures reflect how in a current climate, it only takes two personalities and egos to create utter devastaion and how vulnerable we all are to a single persons temperament.

Detail 'A Painting About Pruning; Remembering Hydra'

Detail 'A Painting About Pruning; Remembering Hydra'

Detail 'A Painting About Pruning; Remembering Hydra'

Detail 'A Painting About Pruning; Remembering Hydra'

Detail 'A Painting About Pruning; Remembering Hydra'

Interview for 'The Tagli' In the Studio, 2025

'A Painting About the Importance of Attire'

In 1943, 35 orphan girls died in a fire in Cavan because the nuns (who escaped) told them they would be disgraced if they left the burning orphanage in their nighties. They stayed and burnt to death. I add in here a reference to Bianca Censori and her naked dressing; the conflict of consent or control over body exposure, and the hypocrisy of nuns dressing girls to look 'pretty' to get more money during Confirmation

Detail 'A Painting About the Importance of Attire'

Detail 'A Painting About the Importance of Attire'

Detail 'A Painting About the Importance of Attire'

'Monkey Business'

A small paintg, Oil on Canvas, 40xm x 25cm

'A Making of Legends; Pegasus' Changing Rooms' 1.78m x 1.4m

Appearances can be deceptive - the making of Pegasus to the detriment of a swan. We wonder how Pegasus will survive the Wind Turbines

'A Making of Legends; Pegasus' Changing Rooms'

Detail

'Shifting the Dogma' 2.2m x 1.86m Oil on Canvas

Three dramatic angels are being bricked in as they pass to the other side, which is full of reality and disaster; a British street of abandonment, heralded by a goddess like character who holds a bird.

'Blaaa Blaaa Blaaa Blaaa Blaaa' 2.2m x 1.86m Oil on Canvas

When people go ON andON and On and ON and you dream of riding a chariot up a giants cats arse just to escape.

'A painting about Burden' 1.86m x 1.4m

Playing on the role of burden, the oxen is lumped with a woman who reaches for the golden apple. The woman is extra heavy, but she doesn't care as she is having a bit of time out.

Detail of: 'Pegasus' Changing Room'

Appearances can be deceptive - the making of Pegasus to the detriment of a swan. We wonder how Pegasus will survive the Wind Turbines

Pegasus Detail 1.jpg

A Painting About Speedy Dating

2.2m x 1.86m oil on canvas

The Gossip of Grace Moore

‘The Gossip of Grace Moore’ is 80 x 40cm. They didn’t burn bras really, women. Though it would be a good idea. Grace Moore took hers off and put it in a bin during a Miss World contest in 1969 as a protest against the parade. The de-braing (from under her shirt) became bra burning, a much more radical and historically combustible reference to the destruction of cultural identity and fascism. The media whipped this singular act into mass bra burnings and this is the image we retain in our minds. Anyway, women don’t need bras anymore because Kim Kardashians shapewear provides everything the natural body needs. Hurrah for Kimmy.

Taming of the Beast

45cm x 30cm oil on canvas

Showboat

1.4m x 80cm Oil on Canvas. Again, exploring moral conflicts, this painting emerged from the news stories of the disastrous flight from Afghanistan which were overridden in some media by the quandry of saving some cats and dog. The saving of these animals was to somehow symbolise human compassion and civilisation, but at the expense of de-valuing human life.

Fools Gold

‘Fools Gold’ oil on canvas 40cm x 20cm so a small piece. Lots of small pieces on the go at the moment next to a giant epic one which is probably going to take half the year. It takes a lot of sociolinguistic not to look at work when it’s on your mind, but it’s best to turn it around and let it dry and see it fresh for me, during the stages of working when I do a lot of layering.