The title “Ugly Duckling” came about, because the painting started out as a collaborative exercise. There were four artists each with a canvas. We each took turns to paint on each canvas, swapping after half hour rounds. We had limited time, so no piece was ever finished. We each chose a painting to take home to continue with. The canvas I ended up with was the ugly or unloved one that no one wanted to deal with, except for me. I liked the challenge of turning it into something workable and harmonious.
