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BIOGRAPHY
The introduction to art for Alfora was the discovery of J M W Turner in the Tate gallery, in 1969. Influenced by the study of light, of which Turner was the master, the work of Alfora is complimented by a palette based on the colours used by Rembrandt, Delacroix and Bonnington. Brought into this, through studies based on derelict buildings and a continuing interest in architectural structures, is the depiction of line and structure of buildings within a field of colour. The breaking of the boundaries came with the discovery of the work of Raul Duffy and John Piper which, for Alfora, brought brighter colour through which the subject takes on a translucence allowing the viewer freedom of interpretation. The quintessence then is a personal style using colour, light and line to express the essence of place. This style, developed through subject matter in England and France, was further explored through travels in Portugal particularly the Alentejo and the Algarve. The move from semi-representational landscape to abstract symbolism was a natural one.
The majority of the paintings of Alfora have a historical content. The scenes of Portugal, from 1998 to 2002, are based on places of historical interest and often painted in an abstract style yet containing symbolic representation. The later work used this concept to symbolically represent ancient historical places in an abstract manner. From this developed the more abstract work of the last few years which forms the bulk of recent exhibitions. The use of paint and collage produces a vibrancy of colour and form which relates to the imagery and culture of the places which inspired the work.
