Dividing his time between the UK and Antwerp, where he lived for five years. Sparkes creates abstract work, which is often composed with representational sources.

Inspired by ancient and modern architecture. He effortlessly weaves the abstract with references to these man-made structures, experimenting with technique and exploring the discord between soft edges and defined lines.

Influenced by the likes of Matisse. Bold colour plays an integral role in Sparkes’ paintings, where it is continuously layered, worked into and manipulated to create texture and an exciting composition.