I like Floater Tom.  I know i keep going on about it but i think that touch of realism really helps, it struck me today that it is kinda like your plynth in place of bacons circlular arena.  the realism anchors the image, which gives you the freedom to push certain abstract facets, whilst still retaining a sense of place; the subject doesn’t float off into a paint-about-paint scenario.  And this figurative element creates something which verges on narration but doesn’t quite go that far, it simply offers a lyricism to counteract the figure (and i use the word figure deliberately, in a deleuzien sense) impact.  Its striking me more now, that we need a lyricism within painting -bacon would turn in his grave- and even if we try to avoid it people still attach stories of actions to the image anyway.  Its a natural thing for humanity to do.  but then, most of the successful contemporary and modern painters don’t produce narrative paintings but instead, have a complex relationship to it, balancing finely over what is the precipice into illustration.  To utter his name again, Bacon did this better than most.

My only dislike of Floater is the oozing glaze and varnishing on the left, i still don’t think you’ve found the solution to that overly glossy, syrupy appearance that its so easy to suffer from.  it just looks a little sickly sweet for me.  i read on the back of a tin of household varnish, that for best results apply 3 0r 4 layers, and with all but the top layer, sand down with fine sandpaper.  although I haven’t tried it myself yet, what the sanding does is rough up the surface slightly so that light doesn’t reflect directly into your eye (rather like the odd surface of a stealth fighter jet dispersing the radar waves bouncing of it in order to appear smaller).  Again i’m not sure if this is suitable for you, I know that what you normally do is pour it on, and you wouldn’t be able to do this obviously, with what i’ve just suggested, but maybe its another option for you.  i’ve tried using matt and satin glazes and they just don’t seem to get the required effect.  Oh and whilst on the subject of effects, how do you get those clean even lines, like on the tiles and the swimmers legs, is it marker pen, if so, which particular pen have you found the best?

Whilst i like Floater, the blue lady is still my favourite, although water does appear to be a perfect vehicle for your abstract/figurative conversations, and it may be good, like you said, of having a little series looking into this.  Michael Andrews swimmer with daughter is brilliant at it.