Biography

As a contemporary artist, my work is informed by the wild landscapes of my home in the Peak District. With a B A Hons (first class) in fine art I went on to lecture in painting and printmaking. Now I work full time as an artist from my studio. I love painting forest and moorland scenes full of colour, texture and strong contrasts of tone, emphasising a distinct play of light and shadows. Painting is a response to the beautiful landscape; I attempt to capture the spirit of the land and the ethereal quality of light filtering through trees. Through my work I hope to impart the sense of peace and meditative calm I feel in these quiet places. This affinity with nature has grown from childhood and my past experiences. The creative process begins outdoors in the landscape with preliminary notes, which form the foundations of the work translated onto canvas in the studio. Harnessing some optical mixing techniques the paintings are created with layer upon layer of highly textured paint, worked expressively using palette knives and brushes, which results in paintings that lie somewhere between abstraction and realism. I am influenced by the Impressionists and contemporary artists who work from nature. My paintings have found homes with private collectors worldwide.