The drawings shown in my online gallery above are mainly from the autumn and winter months of my 'Year in the Parks' project: charcoal and pencil drawings made in situ in Oxford's University Parks, between September 2021-September 2022. These sketches made in all weathers, seasons and times of day are quick, instinctive drawings recording fleeting changes of light and mood; the striking shape, scale and groupings of particular trees and views of the paths, tracks and river integral to our interactions with this space. Reflecting my lifelong interest in natural history and my love of the open spaces within and around the city of Oxford, this is also a reflection on the importance of observation within familiar places. Postcards are available from local shops including The Hayfield Deli, Oxford or direct from me. Message me directly if you are interested in any of the drawings or would like to commission a drawing.
As a biologist and environmentalist based in Oxford for over twenty years, my work centres around the natural world and our relationship with it. Drawing upon my extensive explorations of natural history and informed by a career in research and teaching, my academic and artistic interests enhance and reinforce one another. Much of my work centres around the beauty, diversity and resilience of trees within local landscapes, where quick, instinctive sketches create responses to time, place and season. More detailed work includes studies of feathers and flowering plants, as well as pieces that use maps and text to explore the language of place and the diversity of nature. Commissions, especially those within the Oxford area, are happily undertaken.