More About My Practice

 

Light - or the lack of it - really changes our perception of, and feeling towards things. In much of my practice, I am interested in how light, form and composition gives something impact, presence, mood and atmosphere.

An initial attraction to something quiet yet powerful (for all the above reasons), whether figurative or landscape, is the usual impetus for me to start a piece. In my plein-air painting, the sensory experience of creating while fully immersed in nature is integral to the resulting aesthetic of such work. 

I find something which appears calm and serene, with a sense of dynamism and 'bristling' just below the surface, very compelling and I often need to capture this quickly before the feeling is lost, only later developing it during subsequent sessions if necessary. Other times, I will return to the place or thing several times before putting anything down on paper or canvas.

My portraiture typically engages with deeper contemplative moments and quiet times. Although I don’t intentionally ‘direct’ viewers to a particular message in my work, I hope others may connect with, and relate to, these special fleeting moments and experiences which we all share as part of our human experience.

My land and seascapes focus on the light, colours, atmosphere, and feel of a place, experienced during times of self-reflection, and the resulting paintings reflect the sense of a personal encounter with the subject matter.

I enjoy experimenting with composition within the confines of the canvas or support I am painting on, as I attempt to arrange subject matter in a simple yet striking aesthetic.

Inspiration is everywhere for me. I find great interest in people, animals - and things which I often look at absentmindedly in the home, while drifting off or absorbed in other matters. It could be a stuffed animal, a pile of towels, cushions, the living room sofa, anything - that comprises an intriguing composition or group of impactful forms. My eye is frequently caught by a scene in which I can see a kind of pattern or design, perhaps in the shape of someone's profile formed by their tensed or relaxed muscles, a striking composition in nature, or a section of an interior. I see patterns and shapes in many things.

I paint mainly in oils and love working with all traditional media: graphite, watercolour, pastel and charcoal, for their ability to capture intensity, impact and timlessness.