I have lived most of my life in South Africa, but have always had strong ties to the UK and I'm truly delighted to be living my retirement years on the Oxfordshire/West Berkshire border, in a very small village surrounded by miles of beautiful countryside. I'm kept company by my mini-labradoodle Mila; we walk many miles together, come rain or shine, and I'm always looking out for subject matter for my next painting. The landscapes around here never disappoint!

Most of my working career has been in advertising - on the organising side of things - but painting has been a favourite hobby since childhood. I fell in love with oil paints at an early age, thanks to a favourite aunt who allowed me to watch her bring the distant Drakensberg mountains to life on her canvas, as she painted en plein air. We sat in the eucalyptus-scented shade of a huge gumtree, and it was a magical experience. Perhaps this is why landscapes have always been my favourite thing.

My paintings are in oils, either on canvas board or stretched canvas. I work from photographs (usually my own) and landscapes have always been my first love. My style is unashamedly representational, and I like to work with bright, clean colours. I usually work to quite a small format - most of my paintings are around A4 to A3 in size. My aim is to have the viewer feel that they are looking through a small window-frame to the captivating view beyond.