I started my artistic career by painting furniture. In the 1980s I was living in Edinburgh where one could find interesting pieces of vintage furniture already stripped of all wood stains, just ready to be decorated. It was then a very fashionable idea which kept me very busy.
I have still some individual pieces which are waiting to be sold, such as the Vestry wardrobe and Canteen table, which can be seen in my portfolio. They are really unusual, functional pieces that add to the beauty of any room. At the time I thought that the brush and paints were the natural medium to express nature. The smooth hand gesture repeats naturally the smoothness of the stems and petals on the paper. They were hugely enjoyable to do.
Moving to Oxford at the end of the 90s, I felt the need to express myself in more challenging and creative ways. The Art of marquetry seems to have chosen me. The process of cutting slim veneers into sizes and shapes, and getting them into place with accurate adjustment to space, is very thrilling. The 'Rose', the 'Lily' and the 'Tulip' are made with coloured veneer inlays on wood panels. They are pictures to be displayed on the wall. Their function is purely aesthetic. I am pleased with the results. It is part of Nature's generosity to allow us to copy and reinvent its beauty in so many different media and materials with renewed freshness.