'Using pastels is something new to me that I have only recently tried, so it seemed fitting to use them as for this picture as it was lockdown that gave me the time and opportunity to experiment with them.

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The picture is a metaphor for some of the feelings that I felt during lockdown.  It depicts an island in the centre with a house upon it.  This represents my feeling of safety, security and even comfort, being at home in a familiar environment yet at the same time feeling isolated from the wider world.  The other islands illustrate parts of my life that have been cut off from me, seeing family members and taking part in other activities away from my home.  I still know that they are there but they are out of reach for the moment.  Setting the scene at night was a deliberate choice because it's during the dark hours that we have time to think more deeply and contemplate things.  It can also make us feel vulnerable in spite of its beauty. Creativity has been a place where I could find freedom in an otherwise restrictive and uncertain world that we currently find ourselves in.  It's a place where I could find my calm.'

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- James Robinson