Rediscovering the Past: How Family Photos Sparked a Painting Series
In September 2024, while visiting my gran, she brought down a dusty blue duffel bag from a hidden cupboard upstairs. Inside were old family photos dating back to the 1970s, maybe even earlier. She had taken them out while looking for pictures of my brothers and me with our grandad as a nice way to remember him.
As we looked through these photos, I felt a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for my childhood. I saw myself enjoying simple, candid moments that captured the innocence and joy of growing up. The more we dug through the photos, the more stories emerged. That day, I learned so much about my dad’s side of the family—things I’d never known before.
I left my gran’s house with a stack of photos and an idea: to paint some of these moments for my fourth year at the Glasgow School of Art. I thought it would be an interesting concept—exploring how we capture fleeting moments of time and place. I didn’t know where the project would lead or whether it would even work, but I was excited to give it a go.
The First Painting
“Bob The Builder Mini Muffin Mix” Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 40x50cm, 2024
The first photo I painted was one of myself as a child in my gran’s kitchen. This scene immediately resonated with me because of its personal significance. My gran’s kitchen was always a comforting and familiar space, filled with memories of family and warmth.
To translate the memory into a painting, I focused on reinterpreting the nostalgic details from the photo. I used bold brushstrokes and layered textures to capture the natural light and essence of the space. The striped top I was wearing, the clutter of baking essentials on the counter, and the overall atmosphere of the kitchen were painted with care. The aim was to convey both the innocence of childhood and the cherished atmosphere of that room.
When I shared the painting, it struck a chord with people. My family had different reactions and reflections about me as a child, while others—who didn’t know me—commented on the universal themes. They noticed my concentration while baking a Bob the Builder muffin mix, and some joked about how close I was to the counter’s edge while using an electric whisk. Parents and grandparents especially seemed to connect with the painting, reflecting on similar moments from their own lives.
Expanding the Series
“Self portrait”, Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 2024
Encouraged by the response, I painted another portrait of myself as a toddler—this time in my living room, with a cat sniffing flowers behind me. The composition of the photo stood out to me immediately, and I thought it would make a great painting.
When people saw the finished piece, they recognised the setting as a typical central Scotland living room. The furniture and decor felt familiar to them, sparking conversations about how spaces shape our memories. We talked about the emotional connection to the homes we grew up in and how those spaces helped shape our sense of identity. This was not a conversation I anticipated but it was fascinating nonetheless.
“Naz The Cat”, Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 2024
Not every experiment worked, though. I tried painting photos without people, such as one featuring a cat sitting beside a now-outdated landline phone, an old lampshade, and early 2000s wallpaper. While it was a nice painting, it didn’t carry the same emotional weight as the portraits.
This helped me realise that the heart of this project is about people—their presence is what brings these moments to life. My project isn’t just about nostalgia or the passage of time—it’s about relationships. It’s about the moments, big and small, that shape who we are and how we relate to those closest to.
Painting My Parents
“Mum & Dad” Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 2024
One of the most meaningful pieces I’ve created for this series is a painting of my mum and dad before they were married and before my brothers and I were born. The photo captures them in the early stages of their journey together, and painting it was an insightful process.
Seeing them as young adults—not yet parents—gave me a new perspective on their lives. Sharing the finished painting with them sparked conversations and reflections about that time in their lives, adding another layer of meaning to the project.
Leaving Space for the Viewer
“Untitled” Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 2024
As the series has developed, I’ve started leaving areas of the paintings unfinished. For example, I might leave the wallpaper blank, allowing viewers to fill in those spaces with their own memories. If someone grew up with a bright and bold hot pink wall in their living room, they have the ability to imagine that in place of the blank space.
This approach has made the project feel more universal. It’s not just about my family’s story—it’s about the connections and memories these paintings evoke in others.
“Dad’s Birthday” Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 2024
Bridging Memory and Imagination
Another piece I’m working on is a painting of my maternal grandfather, my Pop, who passed away when I was younger. I’ve only known him through stories, so this piece feels like a bridge between memory and imagination. I’m scaling it larger than the other works in the series to give him a real sense of presence and reflect the importance he holds in my family’s collective memory.
“Pop” Emulsion, Acrylic and Spray Paint on Foam Board, 2024
The Future of Common People
“Brothers” Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 50x50cm 2024
I’ve been considering calling the series Common People, inspired by the Pulp song. The title feels fitting because the series celebrates normal, working-class people doing ordinary things. It captures the beauty of small, fleeting moments that often go unnoticed but feel so meaningful in hindsight.
Looking ahead, I’m thinking about publishing the series as a photobook, pairing the paintings with reflections on their origins. This would be a way to document the project and share it with a wider audience.
“Pop and I” Emulsion and Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 2024
As I write this in December 2024, the series is still growing. It’s been a deeply personal journey, and I’m excited to see how it evolves in time for my degree show in May 2025.
What began as a stack of old photos has become a project that explores family, memory, and the universal beauty of everyday life.
