Dawn With Her Rosy Fingers

120cm x 90cm, oil on canvas

Dawn With Her Rosy Fingers is inspired by the description of Dawn in Homer’s poem, The Odyssey. This recurring phrase signals the breaking of day, often marking the beginning of a new phase in Odysseus's journey, such as when he prepares to leave an island or faces the next challenge in his long voyage home. Dawn appears some twenty times in The Odyssey, and the poem repeats the same line, word for word, each time.

This painting is deeply layered, with suggestions of marks and texture beneath the surface, suggesting the subtleties of each dawn witnessed and the sense of each day leaving its mark on the memory. We are reminded of Odysseus’s daily challenges - each morning away from Ithaca is another chance to make his way home.