Wild places
and elemental landscapes are the starting point for much of my work and I am particularly drawn to coastal scenes. I
mostly find inspiration in the landscapes of East Anglia, Mediterranean visits and sailing trips. My
choice of subject matter is often decided by my emotional response to the mood and colours of the scene. The meeting
of land, sea and sky has a mystical quality for me. The changing light and the ebb and flow of water mean that the views
are constantly altering and evolving.
I think it is important to know the area well and to go out and explore
in order to try to capture the essence of the scene. I like to make small watercolour sketches and colour
notes and I also take photos to record fleeting moments such as sunrises and sunsets where the quality of the light and the
colour change rapidly.
Back at my studio near Cambridge and away from the distractions of the open
air, I try to capture something of the original experience whilst developing a more abstract approach. In these pictures I
aim to convey a sense of the mood and atmosphere of the location. The majority of my work is in acrylic on block canvases.
I find the fast drying quality of acrylic suits my style as I like to work quite quickly to build up thin washes
of colour and then add impasto areas with a palette knife or piece of card.
