Artist’s Statement

My paintings are made in situ. I paint outside because I can work directly with what I see and with the way a place makes me feel; a dialogue develops between the painting and the landscape around me. Instead of an exact representation of what is there, I seek to explore the visual rhythm of a landscape; the interplay between water, land and sky or between rain and cloud. It is exciting to paint outside, to be inspired by events as they unfold; working quickly to paint alongside a setting sun, to follow it to its conclusion, or working with the rain as it splashes and adds its marks to the wet paint.

The work is made very intensely and often under adverse weather conditions. As a result there is not much time for thinking and contemplation. This is an important part of the technique for me, as it encourages a more instinctive approach. I mix media to help facilitate this demanding way of working; it allows me the freedom to use each material for its own merits. I find that making my own materials allows me to push the characteristics of each medium further and shape them to my own desires.

Each painting that I make is important to my understanding of a landscape because it responds to a different period of time, therefore each piece is unique, whether it is a large piece or a small sketch. It is important for me to make new paintings everyday, on the days where I can’t be in my chosen locations I will paint in my sketchbooks, wherever I am.