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As a consequence of lockdown, Esmé began to value human communication on a physical level much more; understanding the necessity of the presence of others.

To encapsulate these vulnerable and overlooked moments, Esmé has been primarily focused on the production of double portraits, deriving from her own photography.

Painting is a way of distilling images taken and photography allows her to orchestrate a preconceived narrative or capture a moment which may usually be private. Esmé's work is confrontational in its scale and bold in its execution, contrasting with the idea of capturing people’s most tender and vulnerable moments.

The application of paint is expressive, gestural and loose. Furthermore, colour is methodologically applied, rehearsing the strengths of a limited palette, and the materiality of the surfaces which are painted onto is carefully considered. These three elements interchange in their dominance but are used in a discovery, to continuously try and find the most optimal configuration for creating work with the greatest emotional charge. This investigation is what produces rich variety in her practice; transcending from figuration to abstract, and the sustainability of its motivation.

Esmé's work aims to engage the viewer in a process of self-reflection, however through painting such precious moments, she understands her inability to ever fully replicate the emotional experience.