Artist Statement

I love painting in watercolour; it’s one thing that gets me to sit still; when I’m painting hours can pass without distraction. I thrive on being outdoors and enjoy sketching in the countryside.

A large landscape painting may take a week of studio time, often after a lengthy period of information gathering. If the painting evokes memories and conveys atmosphere or mood, I feel that it is successful. I enjoy the challenge of combining my skills and experience with simple, basic, materials. I’m often asked how I’ve achieved the whites in my work, especially in a waterfall, the answer is ‘slowly’; the whites are simply the paper, highlighted by painting around them. At home I find interest in still life, flowers, animals, light, reflected light and shadows.

Time spent watching and waiting is precious. I’ve been told that I’m lucky to have seen eagles and otters; there is an element of luck, but there’s also a lot of time spent in being so lucky. Too often people rush to a destination, take a selfie, depart; leaving no time to look to search the skies for eagles, to scan the water for otters, or to notice how changing light reveals different landscape features. I enjoy the journey and the destination.