Financial planning in south west London affords me the ability to do many things, including visiting the latest art show at The Royal Academy. It used to be said that artists only make money once they die, however one of Britains most successful living artists has buried this misconception along with many others. David Hockney who will turn 75 this summer has had a remarkable career. Influenced at an early stage by Picasso and Walt Whitman, he brings his own perspective to his work.

The show is perhaps one of the very best that I have seen, called “A Bigger Picture” it is simply an outstanding collection of work, reminding and calling us to look again in particular at the English countryside and to get out and enjoy it. His vibrant use of colour and innovative adoption of new technology (see what he does with an i-pad) is a reminder that becoming older does not mean becoming greyer or out of touch. Indeed he remains revolutionary, as perhaps all great artists are.

Wearing my financial planning hat, his huge canvases and use of fragmented images to create a larger “whole piece” is a reminder that detail is in the large as well as the small and that different perspectives and experiences shape the overall picture. My financial planning interpretation of this is perhaps stretching things, but notes that our lives are made up of many experiences and are gradually woven together to create a masterpiece, even though the process of each experience may seem unconnected to the next at the time. Financial planning can sometimes feel disconnected – and my role is to bring the elements of the plan together, reflecting it back to my client, assessing progress and helping to shape, but more importantly understand the overall vision. Financial planning when it is done well is not really about numbers, it isn’t really a science, but an evolving artistic work – yours! and I have the great pleasure in helping frame and hang the elements to bring the pieces together.

I am a Hockney fan, which because its art won’t be the same for everyone, but the depth and scale of this show is spectacular and money well spent. A very good job has been done by the team at the Royal Academy and the exhibition runs until 9th April – tickets are in high demand. As for art as an investment, well I have to admit to being more of a traditionalist – buy what you like.

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