Merton College

Founded in 1264, Merton College claims to be the oldest in Oxford, "It’s quite incredible that an educational establishment can exist for such a long time and still be in the same place and have the same name", says Liam.

Liam was commissioned by a private client for this piece and asked to include some Merton College rugby players in the compostition, he also added some other figures to build a narrative and a sense of the place.

Liam adds, "The most noticeable structure you can see in the painting is the tower of the College Chapel, dedicated to St Mary and St John the Baptist. This is known as the Great Tower and was completed in 1450. I have looked up the previous members of Merton. A few notables are TS Elliot, and JRR Tolkien and I can see how Merton may have inspired Lord of the Rings. Added to that we have Roger Bannister, who ran the first sub-four-minute mile, and finally Liz Truss, who was the UK Prime Minister for about five minutes or so."

His spontaneous but closely observed style gives to an exciting piece, which records a moment in time and a catalyst for memories for the client.