Originally from Northern Ireland, I am now based in Monmouthshire and surrounded by the most beautiful and inspiring countryside.
Through my painting I aim to capture a sense of light and space in the landscape. Daily walks with my camera and weekly plein-air painting days weather permitting (and often not permitting!) provide me with endless sources of inspiration and reference for studio based work. The ever changing effects of weather, season and atmosphere challenge me to find new ways to create paintings that are vibrant, fresh and evocative of place. This is what I aim to achieve.
My paintings can be spontaneous and quickly resolved or more often are the result of many applications of paint with layers applied and partially or completely removed or altered as I work out what the piece is asking of me. I experiment with the application of paint in thin glazes, washes or thick, textured impasto and various mark-making techniques. I will usually make small colour sketches to get a feel for what I am hoping to achieve but I am often taken in a different direction as I work. It still surprises me to look at a number of my paintings together and see that I have a distinct style - each new start feels like a journey into the unknown!
Studio visits may be arranged by appointment outside of the Far Open Art Trail which takes place each July