Hockney moves into an enormous studio in Bridlington, where he prepares for a large solo exhibition to be held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, in 2012. He continues to use digital photography to plan—draw—expansive images of the East Yorkshire landscape, shooting the parts of the multi-canvas works as they progress, turning to his digital images to envision their placement within the larger work he is painting. He is no longer painting only outside, and is glad to rely now on his memory in creating a motif.

I’ve just rented a very, very large warehouse in Bridlington—the largest studio I’ve ever had. When I signed the lease for five years, I felt twenty years younger. I stopped feeling frail and started feeling energetic. Occasionally, I collapse and spend three days in bed, which is generally three days asleep because I can’t just lie in bed doing nothing. I’m looking forward to painting there because I think it will make a difference to the work and to me being in a bigger space.