I am fascinated by the extremes of the Mediterranean, the volcanic-formed geographies which through fire and movement, violence and change, ironically provide so much life to these land and waters. Here at the Aeolian Islands in Sicily the fresh fish, the plants, the flowers, the fruit and the hearty vegetables are just flamboyant, coming out of this incredibly rich sea and soil. The geography itself is quite unusual: islands popping out of the water, like lands of dormant lava. I wonder if the violence of the formation of the land that leads to such fertility is an ancient pact between fire and abundance. Alexandre Dumas in 1835 wrote of the people of these islands that they ‘live between the volcano and the sea, and take from each its character: from the one its fire, from the other its calm.’ - not sure if calm is the right word, but surely a faith in what the waters and the land will provide and resignation in acceptance of its impact in everyday life is real. . Acrylics, pastels, oil sticks and pencils on raw cotton canvas Frame not included, images for reference only. Please note that the final size of the painting will depend on the framing depth - a reduction of at least 3cm on each side. .