Some photos of the sculptural drawing I am currently working on. As today is a sunny day, I have hung the “work in progress” in front of a white sheet of paper and played with how fig. and shadow can work so beautifully together.. I always get so inspired when I do experiments like [...]

I’m really pleased to be taking part in this year’s Royal Institute of Oil Painters annual exhibition.  The exhibition runs from Wednesday 7th to  Sunday 18th December 2011 at the Mall Galleries, London.  I will be exhibiting the following painting: Red and Blue Bowls with Cherries 9×6″  Oil on panel ‘The ROI is the  only [...]

I thought it might be interesting to show you what goes into making one of my small paintings. Firstly – why do I paint so many of these small alla prima studies? For one thing, I think I get a bit greedy and impatient – I see something and want to paint it, then I [...]

Last weekend I went to see my friend Iain Herdman’s studio over in Woolwich as Second Floor Studios where he is based were having Open Days. I hadn’t seen any of his new work and it was fascinating how the change of locale has brought in a difference in colour and subject matter. His new [...]

I went onto heathland around the edge of the ‘Little Sea’ one bright morning last week. A small holly was shining as if it’s lights were on. I decided to return the next morning with an MDF panel and acrylics. It struck me that I wanted to work with its vibrant abundance. On that second quiet morning I doubted [...]

I used my projector as a light box and traced the photo. Is this cheating?

As my residency progressed, I began to get more and more interested in drawing in ink. I haven’t used ink all that much in the past; in fact most of my work has always been about colour, so it was great to have a chance to really explore this medium. I liked the slightly nerve-wracking [...]

I am about to go off on a rather self indulgent rant and I am not sure how much sense it will make to anyone but here I go… I’ve always used my own body for most of the nudes I paint, this started for purely practical reasons…..but I never dared to paint a self [...]

What with summer holidays, portrait commissions and now half-term it has been difficult in the last few months to find time to work on the still lifes. What I have been doing however is storing up ideas and making studies. I find doing studies is invaluable for experimenting with colour and fine-tuning the composition. Here [...]

A couple of miles down the road from our house is Biddulph Grange Garden, a National Trust property I’ve visited many times since I was a child. It’s proved to be the perfect place to take an unsettled babe, so inspiring and exciting in equal measures.. He falls asleep, I get to wander and dream. [...]