Flowers - Saatchi Gallery

2025 is already off to a great start. I am thrilled to be included in the Saatchi Gallery’s new Flowers exhibition. While this is not my first time exhibiting at Saatchi, the excitement and honour of showcasing my work at one of the UK’s most prestigious galleries is as exhilarating as ever. What makes this experience even more rewarding is being shown alongside some of the world’s most prolific and internationally recognised artists.

I wanted to share the journey that led to this incredible moment.

Getting the call

A few years ago, I was invited to exhibit in In Bloom at Saatchi - a show with a similar theme. I submitted a large Wallflowers painting, which attracted some positive attention.

Then, in October last year, I received an email from the Head of Saatchi Gallery inviting me to submit a new piece for the upcoming Flowers exhibition. Naturally, I was thrilled beyond words. Straightaway, I knew I wanted to create something new, something different and, hopefully, something better.

I presented my Oblivious collection, which the team was already familiar with — it had been selling in the gallery’s gift shop over the past year. They agreed it was a good starting point, with one condition: could I produce something unique and distinctive?

My response? “I want to go bigger and bolder.” That is when things started to get real - because now, I had to actually make it. This exhibition celebrates the many ways artists interpret and represent flowers, and I knew I wanted to bring something original to the table.

The making of ...

I often find myself biting off more than I can chew. Going “bigger” was the first hurdle. The largest I had printed edge-to-edge before was 50 x 70 cm, even though I had worked at larger sizes on paper and canvas. But this became a technical challenge.

By a stroke of luck, I discovered St Barnabas Print Studio, which runs courses and allows members to use their facilities. The blessing? They had enormous 2–3 metre screens, more than enough for the A0 size artwork I wanted to create.

Preparation began in November. I started sketching ideas digitally, then tested smaller-scale prints before tackling the full-size piece, which I did not start until I returned from holiday in Australia in January.

At St Barnabas, I met James Hill, the studio’s founder and a veteran printmaker, who was instrumental in helping bring this project to life.

We spent days prepping the screens before printing could begin. I wanted every print to have its own unique character, so I started by hand-painting individual backgrounds. When the paper was dry, it was time to print. By then, we were already three days into the process.

James and his assistant Danica rose to the challenge as we began layering each colour onto the paper with care and precision.

For those unfamiliar with process printing, it involves separating colour into four screens: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). Unlike traditional lithographic printing, screen printing CMYK is more of an art than a science. Aligning the colours, or registering them, is done by eye, making the process nerve-racking. One small error can ruin the final image. Thankfully, this is where a master printmaker like James is invaluable.

That said, I am sure I tested his patience by asking to alter certain colour layers for “happy accidents” like spraying thinners onto oil-based inks to create drips. It is not something most printmakers would ever dream of doing.

By the time we pulled the final black layer, the artwork finally revealed itself. As an artist, you often question whether a piece is “good enough.” But this time, I felt a strong sense of pride. It had surpassed my expectations.

Huge thanks to James and Danica for their incredible support, and to Luke for framing it so beautifully.

The Exhibition

The Flowers exhibition is a vibrant and immersive celebration of floral influence in contemporary culture. It features large-scale installations, original art, photography, fashion, archival objects and graphic design. It is an inspiring journey through how artists continue to interpret and explore the power of flowers.

Walking through the gallery, I was in awe of the diversity on display. Each artwork tells a story, invites reflection, and adds a fresh perspective on this timeless subject.

My piece, titled Oblivious - 012501, represents a new chapter in the Oblivious collection. It introduces a richer visual language - more texture, more structure, more colour. From a distance, it offers one story. Up close, another version is revealed.

Seeing my work hanging alongside artists such as Damien Hirst, David Shrigley, VOYDER, Nick Knight, Andy Warhol, and Miguel Chevalier feels surreal. I put it down to a bit of luck, but it also feels like a small moment of validation for the effort I have put into this body of work.

I am extremely grateful to the Saatchi Gallery for offering this prestigious platform for artists to share their voices.

If you are in London in the coming weeks, I highly recommend visiting the Flowers exhibition. It is a visual feast and a heartfelt tribute to the beauty and meaning of flowers in art and human expression.

You can find out more about the exhibition by visiting the Saatchi Gallery website.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I look forward to sharing more exciting updates with you soon.