Dudley Charles: You know, I was introduced to acrylic paints by Leila Locke [1936-1992]. I saw Leila’s work and it looked like watercolour so I decided I had to learn how she did this. I experimented until I got it. There’s a painting by Leila in the National Collection called, I think, Claudette Reading. It’s a woman sitting at a table and she has a bowl of rice with curry or something like that.
Akima McPherson: Claudette Reading was the one where you saw the technique that interested you?
DC: Yes, that was one of many but I remember that one in particular. When you look at it, it gives you a feeling of light – lots of light in the work.
