Three Painting created over a 16 year period to investigate the lengths we go to for greed, ego and to be ‘original’

There was no flash of inspiration that led to me creating the Million Series, it took around a year to come up with the idea or subject matter and then another 6 months or so to get going.

It was not a million, it was a conversation on a night out in London with a friend that started my on this quest on ‘what original subject could possibly make a painting worth a fortune’. It went back to the same old tropes, it needs to be shocking as with Balthus, Hirst maybe with a bit of iconography, a well known artist, etc. but nothing that could lead to a subject. Since that first conversation I must have had a thousand thoughts on the subject, but there was only one that really stuck and that was the artwork itself was to dictate so the price could not be dictated to it.

I had for sometime experimented with layering paints and scratching the suface with blades and other utensils to reveal what was below as a commentary on us having little or no idea on the reality of any situation. This is still a subject matter I like playing with from time to time. So I thought I would play with this idea but just to reveal the figure of a million, which would be scratched a million times on a board.

Up until this point I was thinking this is a ridicules idea and was convinced it would go nowhere. It was not until I decided this would only be for me, that I could move forward, the idea of sharing this with anyone back in 2002 was a harrowing thought. From imposter to joker and everything in-between were the thoughts that wracked my brains during this period, this is why I could never have become a professional artist, the incredible doubt that reigns down on you is, if you have any self doubt at all,  ridicules .

First attempt went awfully, I neglected to prime the Red Million and the paint came away from the board after 3 months 

I completed the Million Red in 2006. Almost from the moment I started I knew it would be a series. Although I was not willing to share this artwork with anyone, I was sure it would have value one day.

Finally, as everyone who has created something from nothing will know, its reason for being became clearer the longer I spent with it. The concept of value was always at its heart, but also you try to envisage where the painting would end up, who would purchase it and why they would purchase something that is an obvious fuck you to to world and the value it gives objects…then I go all the way back to the conversation in London, and yes, I am pretty sure I would not say no to a print of soup cans, if I could afford it.