I am primarily a landscape painter and it is wild country which inspires me the most. In such places, where there is a strong sense of atmosphere and light, I feel a close connection with nature. I enjoy the challenge of seeking out new subjects and the effort required to reach them. Often, though, some unexpected effect of light will leave me spellbound. It is these moments especially that I try to catch and hold in my paintings.
Both sides of my family were artistic or creative, so I grew up surrounded by art. Our home always seemed to be filled with artists' materials and paintings. My love of landscapes came from family holidays in Scotland, my mother's homeland. The dramatic scenery had a powerful effect on me and I felt a need to try to record my impressions.
I enjoy working outdoors, where I have an immediate response to the subject, and many of my smaller paintings are completed in front of the subject. At other times, especially when the weather is wild, I make sketches in pencil or watercolour to paint from indoors. I also use photographs, which I find useful for recording fleeting effects of light or weather.
For many years I worked exclusively in watercolour, but now I also use acrylics. I enjoy the contrast of the two working methods and I often paint a subject in one medium and then the other.
I have sold my work widely through galleries and exhibitions, as well as completing a number of private commissions. I am also honoured to have my paintings in the collection of HRH The Prince of Wales.
