I keep notes, written, drawn or both, of ideas for pictures, some of which sit around for years waiting for the right time to be painted. Dreams often give access to some very resonant visual and emotional areas and it would be downright wasteful not to use them, if only as a point of departure. I can't always distinguish between a dream memory and a 'real' memory in any case. Often, I am asked whether my pictures are autobiographical. Obviously, when an artist works extensively from his own mind, he cannot help but tell his story.
Some paintings refer to feelings surrounding childhood.
They contain a certain amount of contemporary detail and atmosphere which people frequently recognise and respond to as if I am telling their story too.