Inga Clayton had the skill, and the courage, to create seemingly simple drawings and watercolours which nevertheless convey all the rich variety and texture of human flesh. Her less-is-more results are a masterclass in how to use line and colour.

When asked why the naked human body dominates her work, a question with which became all too familiar, her standard reply was ‘Did anybody ask Picasso why he painted so many nudes? Why he was obsessed with the human form? What, after all, could be more natural – or more fun? And conventional life studies quickly become rather boring, and all tend to look the same. How many life studies can one artist create? Boredom sets in quickly for the artist as well as the viewer, so I turn the life study into an interaction with a real person. Then you often end up with erotic art.’