I look for the beauty that is to be found everywhere in our land, often in quiet corners of the countryside, and my aim is to capture the atmosphere and mood of the season as much as the place itself.  So I strive to paint pictures, working largely on the spot, that will speak to viewers of the kind of scene they too will recognise and love.  Clients often remark on the calm nature of my work.

Pastels work well for this purpose, especially when capturing the huge skies of East Anglia and the region’s colours and tones that are often pale.  The pigments used in pastels are just the same as those in oils; but being a dry medium there is nothing to discolour or crack, and under glass the pastel will last for centuries, as works by the great French artists in particular of the 18^th and 19th centuries demonstrate.

Drawing is the foundation of all good painting.  I studied it with my distinguished tutor James Horton for seven years and have continued to practise life drawing ever since.  I work in charcoal, conte, and pastel but my favourite medium is sepia ink, diluting the ink as a wash to create tone.  In 2013 I held an exhibition of 16 sepia vignettes of my college in Trinity Hall, Cambridge of which two are featured here; the exhibition was a sell-out and prints and postcards of all 16 are available from the college.  (See under Prints and Cards for details.)

I have carried out numerous successful commissions for friends and clients over the years, and am happy to receive enquiries.  My preference is to do pictures of clients’ favourite views, or of their house in its setting rather than just the house on its own.  My method is always to discuss first with the client exactly what they are looking for; then to show them a detailed rough drawing for checking, and if necessary a revised version, before embarking on the painting itself.  My prices are usually in the region of £300 to £500 depending on the size and complexity of the work, and in some cases the distance I need to travel.  Here are some examples.

When travelling abroad I have painted principally in Italy, France, Australia, and the Caribbean. I lived in Australia for six years some time ago and have returned frequently in recent years.  Painting there is exciting and a whole different experience; the light is intense, earth colours are vivid, and sun, wind and insects present their own challenges!  The surf of the Pacific and Indian Oceans is ceaseless and inspirational, and Australia has a most distinguished artistic tradition of its own.  In the Mediterranean and the Caribbean ones palette can be quite similar.  In Western Europe I tend to draw in sepia ink as well as paint; the medium works so well for ancient buildings and street scenes, especially in Italy.