When I start a new row of shoes, I need to think about the whole row and how the colours, shapes and the position of the shoes are in relation to the composition. I want to paint while I am thinking, so have started the first shoe by painting the cork platform sole. I am not yet ready to paint the shoe, so I have added some more of the background. Whilst I 'suffer' when I'm painting, that is I am sometimes a bit tense about colour choice etc, this painting is still exciting for me to do. It is so different a subject than my usual topic of flora and fauna it is a tonic.