The Story
This was created for one of my best friends Casey’s 35th birthday. The colour was always going to be pink—she loves her blush tones and femme vibes. But I wanted this to have extra pop, something worthy of being a milestone birthday gift.
As I worked, this mass of shapes started emerging, and everyone began seeing “heads in a crowd.” I wanted each stroke to be genuinely unique, pulling different combinations from the palette each time. This exploration of uniqueness within the masses connected me deeper to the piece—Casey and I bonded instantly as neighbours. It was a rare, easy friendship from the beginning – one full of love and laughter, where we didn’t have to be anything other than ourselves. Finding your kindred soul in a crowd is rare, and that’s exactly what this piece became about—her uniqueness and beauty standing out, just like we found each other.
About a third of the way through, I stopped. I didn’t like it and wanted to go rogue rather than stick to the pattern. I started another piece—it went nowhere. Casey knew I was creating something for her, so I showed her the unfinished work and told her to be honest. Her excitement was unmistakably genuine. She insisted I keep going. So I did, and I fell in love with it too. It was a great early lesson that chaos can still have structure!
The Creation
60 x 60cm acrylic with impasto medium on canvas, raw oak frame. I used a round-edged palette knife for each stroke, working lighter at the top with darker, more densely packed marks toward the bottom—adding to that crowd effect. Before any of the texture went down, I prepped the background with fluoro pink spray paint against a pale pink base. Even though most gets covered, that complexity peeks through in places and adds depth. The process required staying steady and consistent—impasto dries on the palette quickly, so you need to keep moving. To avoid wasting paint, it’s best to work through what’s mixed before taking breaks. I was in a calm, focused place painting this, finding unexpected joy in each new colour combination.
The Piece
60 x 60cm, acrylic with impasto medium on canvas, raw oak frame. Kindred In A Crowd is bold and eye-catching—it’s not meant to blend into a wall but to make you stop and stare. People can’t help picking their favourite stroke, which is always kind of satisfying to witness. The piece lives in Casey’s hallway where sunlight hits it at different times throughout the day, catching on different curves and colours. Even the side view is striking given the thick texture, so it’s perfect in a spot where people walk past and can get up close. The surprising impact has come after this piece—the number of people saying this is a favourite or requesting commissions in different colour palettes has been a lovely validation. This textured palette knife style became the one that got everyone excited, and it holds a special place in my practice because of that.
