Ever since a child, all I have ever wanted to do was paint! My sole aim on leaving school was to go to art college, which I was only able to do for a one year foundation course, before personal circumstances dictated that I got a 'real' job. Throughout my working life however I always managed to find time to draw and paint, mainly in water colour.
A bad accident in 1991 left me with a permanent disability and after struggling for 10 years, continuing to work through constant pain, I had no choice but to give up. What I did not give up on though was my art, this is what kept me going through some very tough times; and I discovered a new media, oils, which absorbed me totally from the start. I think it is a wonderful, full and vibrant medium which allows a real sense of depth of colour in the paintings.
I now paint full time and consider myself very lucky to be able to do something which makes me so very happy, and, so it seems, also creates works of art that other people appreciate too. Much of my work is detailed, and the big still lifes can take more than two months to paint.
My subject matters vary constantly and I am happy to cover any subject on commission, the only things that remain unchanged are my distinctive style and the strong colours which infuse all my works. I normally paint in oils, self taught, and make particular use of blending techniques to create soft outlines and shading. I also quite often put hidden meanings into my work, particularly the still lifes, can you spot them?
My inspiration comes almost totally from the natural world, and everytime I go somewhere I get inspired to paint. I am constantly jotting down little reminders to myself of ideas for paintings, which I then grow into the fully finished work.
As well as painting I have used my artistic skills in a variety of crafts and I create and sell unique items in papier mache, polymer clay, decorative tiles and jewellery.
Oil, Pastel, Watercolour, Watercolour Pencil
Animal or Wildlife, Flowers or Gardens, Landscape or Woodland Scene, Portrait or Figure, Still Life
