Stewart Lees’ still life paintings are studies in attention, transforming humble everyday objects through careful observation and a sensitive understanding of light, texture and atmosphere. Though grounded in realism, his work seeks to capture the experience of seeing. In Pink Salt in a Brass Bowl, the crystalline texture of the salt contrasts with the soft reflections of the brass and silver spoon, creating an interplay between fragility and solidity. Lees approaches painting as a process of persistence and refinement, often working slowly through uncertainty until the relationships between colour, tone and form fully resolve.