The sun-soaked landscapes of Central Africa continue to suffuse the abstract paintings of Chipperfield artist Graham Boyd with colour and light.

His two-year stay in the early 1950s in what was then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) made a big impression on his senses and his palette.

“My work is affected by my travels, but it’s abstract so it’s not really illustrating where I’ve been to, it’s more to do with an appetite for exploring colour and what it can do in terms of space, energy, harmony and the feeling colours give,” says Graham.

Returning home to the UK, Graham took up residence in the by then dilapidated Meadow Studios in Bushey, which had been built by Sir Hubert von Herkomer RA in the 1890s for his students. The skylight in his home studio was cracked and let in water but the strange luminosity of the room also had great effect on his work.

More recently, Graham’s travels abroad have also inspired intense paintings such as Below Decks, Bright Cloud, Sur la Plage and Adelphi.

Former head of painting at the Hertfordshire College of Art and Design, St Albans during the 1970s where he pioneered a fine art BA course, Graham has also exhibited extensively. His most recent show being last year’s display of early works, Visual Metaphors at Bushey Museum and Art Gallery.

Now he is showing his most recent paintings, titled The Primacy of Colour, at Watford Museum.

Graham works in acrylic painting horizontally on the floor. His work on display at the museum comes in various sizes.

“I like to work on a scale that's about the same scale as me 3-4ft across 5-6ft high but I also enjoy working quite small perhaps due to the fact I was a book illustrator originally.

“When you’re working on a big picture it’s not so easy to grasp what you’re doing, you can get lost inside it. In musical terms it’s like a quartet or a jazz ensemble as opposed to a big orchestra. It’s more intimate on a smaller scale and it changes the imagery. It’s a different experience for the eye and body.”

Visitors can view Graham’s large vivid pictures up close at Watford Museum, High Street, Watford from this Friday to May 28. Open Thursday to Saturday, 10am and 5pm. Details: 01923 232297