Tableau is a collection of still life works painted from direct observation. I mostly choose to arrange objects I find at home, or flora from local gardens I pass on the way to my inner-city studio. There is a negotiation process involved in arranging the objects into a satisfying composition. They are constantly moved as I search for a rewarding ensemble. Often the result is a single piece representing a visual simplicity.

I like to do a rough pastel sketch on the canvas to start. I then spend quite a while mixing my colours on the palette and only when I think I have most of the tones the painting will require do I start applying brushstrokes. This is often done swiftly and intuitively, usually with a large brush, building form and depth over time until the composition is complete.

My favourite paintings appear to have happened effortlessly with each simple brushstroke applied in the right place the first time. Up close you can see the hand of the artist, some of the sketching and the smears of paint, but as you move back these elements combine to build a coherent and resolved presence.

Keith Burt, 2026.