You will discover my studio in the village of Holton which is within reach of Wheatley, and Waterperry Gardens are just two miles away. With fields to one side and a secluded garden it makes a pleasant rural excursion where some visitors take tea and stay awhile. The studio under the eaves has lovely views. It is here that you can browse through sketch books and rummage through unframed work at bargain prices. Paintings throughout the cottage overflow into garden buildings.
My landscapes range from Oxfordshire views to sea, sky and coastal paintings. I love the textures and antiquity of rocks, the drama of quarries, and the effect of weather. Capturing atmosphere and emotions often moves me into abstraction.
I have recently been attracted to contemporary still life exploring surprising and joyful use of colour.
As an only child growing up in London I had ample opportunities to visit art galleries and exhibitions. My school was close by Tate Britain and many lunch times were spent there. But my greatest desire was to escape my urban surroundings. I spent many solitary hours on the common near my home with a sketch book, and continued to do this in later years as my escapes took me to wild and remote places. Mountains and coastal landscapes attracted me the most, and I returned home with enough material to inspire me to paint for the subsequent weeks. These times of painting in the studio are opportunities to reflect on experiences, and to delve deeper into their significance for myself, and hopefully find something meaningful to share with others both through the paintings themselves and in written reflections that sometimes accompany them.
I love experimentation and the joyful and imaginative use of colour. My studio is a busy, messy place with several projects on the go. Mostly I work in oil but cannot put the challenge of watercolour aside, especially since it is watercolour that I use on my frequent painting escapes.