This painting began with a request from my daughter, Aura.

She wanted something green for her bathroom, and I can still picture the delicate, watercolour‑style leaf she had in mind — soft, simple, gentle. I tried to hold that image, but when I started painting, something completely different came out.

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Instead of a light, leafy watercolour, I ended up with a full‑on abstract in deep greens, with shapes and movement that felt more like an underwater seascape. Gold detailing emerged too, giving it a richness and depth that had nothing to do with the original idea. It was one of those moments where the painting takes over and decides what it wants to be.

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Aura accepted it, even though it wasn’t what she’d imagined. But I’ve always felt that I still owe her the painting she originally asked for — the soft green leaf she saw so clearly in her mind. One day, I will revisit Green for her.