There always listening

There always listening

30”/48”

Oil on canvas

2026

CA$1650

There is something wonderfully freeing about stepping away from the familiar world and allowing your imagination to take over. As a lifelong science-fiction fan, I've always been drawn to the possibility of imagined futures, strange worlds, and the cities that might one day inhabit them. This painting was an opportunity to explore that fascination, taking considerable inspiration from one of my favourite films, Blade Runner, with its dark, atmospheric vision of a futuristic city.

The painting began with a simple concept: a strange flying vessel hovering above a vast, futuristic metropolis. From there, I wanted to build a world that existed entirely in my own mind, with towering structures, unusual architecture, and a sky that felt almost alive.

Early concept art

Early thumbnails, working out composition

My process usually begins with an idea rather than a fully formed painting. In this case, it was the flying vessel that sparked my imagination. Once I had that starting point, I created a small composition thumbnail to work out how the painting might come together. This allows me to experiment with the placement of the main elements, consider the balance of the composition, and decide where I want the viewer's eye to travel. With a rough plan in place, I then move to the canvas, where the real exploration begins.

With this piece, I had enormous fun inventing a world from scratch. I could play with scale, exaggerate architectural forms, introduce unexpected colours, and let the city develop organically across the canvas. I wanted to capture something of the atmosphere that makes Blade Runner so compelling: a sense of a vast, complex world that extends far beyond what we can see. The towering vessel became an anchor for the composition, while the buildings stretch away towards the horizon, creating depth and scale. Above it all, ribbons of turquoise, violet, and pink cut through the dark sky, adding movement and energy to the scene.

Although I have an idea of where I am heading, I rarely want to dictate every detail in advance. Once I start painting, I allow myself to respond to what's happening on the canvas. Buildings evolve, shapes change, colours suggest new possibilities, and sometimes the painting takes me somewhere I hadn't anticipated. I find this balance between planning and improvisation particularly satisfying. The thumbnail gives me a direction, but the painting itself is free to develop.

I thought I was done at this point, but I decided to go back in and add more details to the city

For me, there is a particular pleasure in this kind of escapism. Painting allows me to step outside the everyday and spend time somewhere entirely different. It's about giving the imagination room to breathe and enjoying the freedom of creating something that doesn't have to exist anywhere beyond the canvas.

Interestingly, it wasn't until the painting began to take shape that I realised I had returned, almost unconsciously, to a subject central to much of my work: the aerial landscape.

Taking some pointers from my studio assistant Nero, as I add some final details

Although this is a science-fiction city rather than a view of the natural world from an aircraft, the underlying perspective feels remarkably familiar. Looking down across the rooftops, observing the patterns of buildings, and watching the city recede towards the horizon all echo the experience of seeing the world from above. My years as a commercial pilot have clearly left a lasting impression on how I see and interpret landscapes, even when I'm imagining places that could never exist.

There Is Always Listening became more than an exercise in imagining a futuristic city. It was a chance to indulge my love of science fiction, pay homage to a film that has long inspired me, and rediscover the joy of painting without boundaries. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries happen when we have a plan, but remain open to the unexpected.

Currently on display at The Cotton Factory, Hamilton, Ontario.