In these works for 'The Child Factor', I was immediately inspired by a selfie taken on my phone by a young person in my life. It was a 'surprise' selfie of a child and her dog which I was to find later in my photos. It was so innocent and fun and seemed to really showcase the playfulness of childhood. In the other pieces I gained inspiration from my other work, especially 'The Gold Collection' which uses gold leaf to create images that seemingly dance across the canvas. In each of these pieces there is a darker quality at play. The juxtaposition of playful images with haunting backgrounds touches on the lost innocence of childhood. For example, in 'The Tightrope Walker' we are holding our breath to see if the tiny elegant figure makes it across. The figures in these pieces are vulnerable and exposed and holding on tight.