Mount Everest

The highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest, is one of just 14 peaks over 8,000m. At 8,848m it stands alone both physically and in its place in mountaineering history.
Whilst not possessing the standalone aesthetic of the Matterhorn, its sheer scale, and the incredible inhospitiblity of its upper reaches lend extra drama to the imposing aura that iconic names such as the Khumbu Icefall, the Hillary Step, the Western Cwm and the South Col already conjure.
Painting in black and white allows me to explore and exploit the power and variations of light and texture through the entire monochrome range from the darkest craggy granite black to the blinding purity of reflected sun off the wind-blasted upper ridges.