I painted a portrait of my friend from a photo taken when she was about 6 years old. She is tiny and white. White hair, white clothes, white skin. A blank canvas, beginning her life.

A friend of mine described this painting as Matisse-like, which was funny, because I struggled with it; I was happy with the girl right from the start, but struggled with the background. Then I asked myself, what would Matisse do?. I flattened out the back and added 'wallpaper' - as Matisse would. I think it works much better.

It's currently on show in a group exhibition: Girlhood #2, Union Club Hotel, 164 Gore Street, Fitzroy, 20-26 November 2015

Here are its various morphs until I finished it....