Warm Beer - Acrylic on board - 24 x 30" (currently exhibited at Barnsley Civic)

This painting presents a poignant reflection on climate change and its impact on humanity.  

The central figure is a tattooed man, reclining on the ground, nonchalantly drinking a warm beer. His pose suggests resignation, even apathy, in the face of an impending catastrophe. The relaxed posture contrasts sharply with the fiery, apocalyptic backdrop. This juxtaposition of casual indifference and imminent doom is a powerful commentary on the human response to climate change – a mixture of denial, despair, and inaction.

The background dominates the canvas, a fiery inferno that fills the upper two-thirds. The flames, rendered with energetic brushstrokes, are not chaotic; there's a controlled intensity, portraying a slow-burning disaster.  The colors evoke both the beauty and terror of nature's destructive power. The subtle greens at the base of the flames suggest what's left of nature, scorched but still clinging to life.

The man's tattoos add to the thematic complexity. They are personal narratives, representing past experiences and hopes.  Against the backdrop of impending doom, these personal stories become insignificant, dwarfed by the overwhelming scale of climate change. The warm beer he drinks emphasizes the mundane against the extraordinary. It's a symbol of human comfort, highlighting the irony of such trivial pursuits in the face of global destruction.

The painting's moral is clear: climate change is a real and present danger, and our current inaction will likely lead to catastrophic consequences. The artist uses the powerful combination of visual imagery and symbolism to elicit a range of emotions prompting viewers to contemplate our role in the unfolding climate crisis and consider the weight of collective inaction. The painting's strength lies in its ability to generate these complex feelings, offering a powerful meditation on the relationship between humanity and the environment.