My work takes its inspiration from the landscape.Through my paintings I explore the underlying structure of the land and the power of the sea and the transient qualities of both. I am drawn to the ancient remote landscapes and their atmosphere and apparent fragility in relation to light, rain and wind, yet in the end it is their timeless power in the seen and felt moment that remains.

The motivating force comes from places that are constantly changing and I am trying to capture that fleeting moment in time. It is the fragility of the land and our fragility in its presence. One of my passions is the ever changing sky and the interplay between sky, land and sea in relation to light. I am from Devon and have a strong connection to the sea having grown up by it so it has a constant pull for me. I am fascinated by the changes in the estuary over time and the environmental context this has which I would like to develop in my work. When I paint the landscape I am interested in ancient tracks, marks made by man from an earlier time. Our permanence in the landscape and also our own impermanence.

My work is based on a strong observation and direct experience of nature. I initially immerse myself in my surroundings, focusing on the light, sounds, atmosphere etc. I make sketches on site but the main body of my work is produced back in the studio. I take photos as a memory aid but work from the sketches alongside. A permanent image and a transient experience together.

I sketch in pencil, charcoal, watercolour, and water soluble materials I can use to make a quick intuitive impression, catching that moment and feeling, reproducing the actions of nature. My processes back in the studio then involve a more studied approach using oil on panel as my preferred medium. I use oils like watercolours in that I use them very thinly but then build up the layers with an interplay between opaque and transparent. I also work in oils and gouache on paper where my paintings retain a more sketch like quality and pastel work gives me the immediacy of mark making.

It is this use of mediums to achieve my goals that I want to develop. To experiment and use different materials and methods that I have not considered before. My aim is to translate a felt experience of the landscape and its elements into a visual language.

My research includes how artists have interpreted landscape over time but I would like to extend this culturally and environmentally and not just in relation to the English Landscape tradition.

I make my work to capture and interpret that fleeting point in time and I hope my audience experience the shift in light on sea and land that highlights a particular moment. I want my paintings to evoke a spirit of place and the ongoing passage of time.