Knights

Knights is a playful and maximalist series of four artworks: Dame Sugarplume, Duke of Dandyshire, Sir Pompadour the Proud, and Count Sassington of Snark. The series was inspired by Phoebe Anna Traquair’s embroidered panel Red Cross Knight (1907), which I first saw at the National Museum of Scotland. The work, stitched in coloured silks and gold thread, shows the Red Cross Knight (St George) riding with Una, beneath the inscription: “Thus they fared forth upon the dreadfil quest.”

I’ve long been fascinated by the regalia and romance surrounding medieval knights—their mythology captured in tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and real historical figures like William Marshal. With this series, I wanted to create a joyful, collage-inspired response—artworks that celebrate the theatricality and pageantry of knighthood while embracing a camp, light-hearted aesthetic.

Set against clean white backgrounds, each piece is full of character and ornament. The Knights are sweet, sour and sugary in spirit. Whether on a gallery wall or in a home, these knights are designed to bring a sense of fun, charm, and a touch of flamboyance to any space.