How Painting Happens (and why it matters) – A Times Book of the Year 2024

How Painting Happens by Martin Gayford is a vivid exploration of the art and act of painting, drawing on over three decades of conversations with some of the most influential artists of our time. From Lucian Freud and David Hockney to Jenny Saville and Gerhard Richter, Gayford captures their personal reflections on process, inspiration, and the meaning of painting.

Blending historical insight with contemporary voices, the book also features artists of the past—Van Gogh on Rembrandt, Bacon on Velázquez, Constable on Titian—offering a rich dialogue across time. With sumptuous illustrations and lucid commentary, How Painting Happens reveals how artists think, see, and translate vision into image.

Painting, Gayford shows, is both an ancient tradition and a dynamic, evolving pursuit. It is a lifelong obsession, a source of profound expression, and a medium where ideas take form without words. This compelling volume is a banquet for anyone fascinated by the mysteries and marvels of art.

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