In terms of his style and technique Vince also has a strong connection with a more familiar, but no less fascinating cast of characters – the virtuoso portraitists of the Dutch Golden Age including Frans Hals and Rembrandt. Looking at these works, it is impossible to ignore their influence in the level of detail, the mastery of light and shade and the sheer power of the subject to enthral and mesmerise the viewer. In fact, his family come from Northern Holland, close to Amsterdam, and his intimate knowledge of these artists was integral to his own development.

Vince seeks his muses out, moving around different locations, meeting people whose alternative lifestyles interest him both as an individual and as an artist. As he says: “I like to paint people that you don’t always see walking down the street, people who live and work outside the conventions. You are unlikely to see these people in a suit or on an iPhone. My paintings are all quite dark, subtle and intense. I’m always imagining there’s something surreptitious going on in what might be a perfectly innocent situation. I suppose I’m always looking out for something gritty, an intriguing backstory, a moment of tension... something that will make you wonder about these characters. Who are they? What goes on in the moments before and after the painting?”

Vince is now acknowledged as one of the most evocative and exciting figurative artists working in Britain today. Demand for his originals and collectable editions has soared and his collectors and sitters include Sam Smith, Tamer Hassan, Caprice and Georgia May Foote.

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