About me
Biography
Born in Mountain Ash, South Wales, I developed an interest in finding ways of expression through painting during my teenage years. I went on to study Fine Art in Stourbridge, graduating in the late1980s. Back then I used to create large oil paintings on canvas. Again, these were semi-abstract landscapes of an experimental nature. I would often spend several fun-filled hours throwing paint on a large canvas and creating a range of marks until the painting would ‘suggest’ some form and space which I would then develop further.
Despite my close connection with painting, in my mid-twenties I went on to pursue another career in youth work. I qualified as an informal and community educator and also completed a PhD in Sociology. I enjoyed a variety of jobs working with young adults in the homeless/social housing sector. This was a very fulfilling vocation which spanned 3 decades, but my call to express myself through painting was always in the background. I eventually returned to painting part-time in 2018, a little later than I had intended! In 2023, I finally committed to becoming a full-time artist and now pursue my passion as a way of life.
Paintings
I am still predominantly drawn towards the world of semi-abstract and expressionist painting when it comes to my landscape work. I find this approach gives me the most potential to express my experience of nature in a visual ‘language’ that I relate to.
I enjoy the process of exploring and developing various experimental techniques in my work to create unique landscapes, alongside using more traditional approaches. I use mixed media in most of my work, combining watercolours, acrylics, pastels, acrylic inks and other mediums in a variety of ways. I use a range of tools, equipment and materials to create images including paint brushes, palette knives, rollers, pipettes, an air brush, plant material, cling film and more recently I have been using collage in my work.
I like to build layers in my paintings to create depth and texture and often introduce elements of abstraction into my work as I draw upon my emotional experiences as well as my visual.
I have a garden-based studio in which I work, named by my two boys as the ‘Painting Shed’.
Follow me on the links below if you would like a glimpse into the various work and projects that I am progressing with.