A small group of figures, suggested with loose brushstrokes of black, white and red, huddle together under a sweeping dark arch of colour. The background melts into broad areas of brown, green and grey, like a heavy sky or a distant hill blurred by rain. Faces and details are only hinted, which makes the scene feel atmospheric and slightly mysterious, as if we are catching a quick glimpse of people passing through bad weather.

In this painting I was more interested in mood than in detail. I wanted to show how people close together can feel like a small island of warmth against a large, wet, anonymous world. The rough, broad strokes and limited colours help to keep the scene simple, strong and emotional.