I grew up Lincolnshire, by the sea in Skegness. I always had a love of drawing and painting and from a young age would confidently declare ‘I am going to be an artist!’

I completed a Degree in Fine Art and Social Context at UWE Bristol. Since graduating I have made the South-West my home settling in Frome, Somerset. I am a fully qualified Adult Education tutor and teach classes and workshops.

I feel most at home when I’m by the sea. I’m attracted to the wild North Coast of Cornwall, the Lizard and West Penwith. I love the drama and the ancient feel of the landscape. The harbours, old mines and lighthouses telling stories of Cornwall’s past and present.

In my semi-abstracted land and seascape paintings I’m exploring the spirit, features and qualities of the places I am instinctively drawn to. By painting these places, I come to understand and know them on a deeper level. My paintings include remembered experiences, sounds, colour, movement. A recreation of place which is deeply personal.

My work begins from drawing and painting in situ. Walking, watching, listening. Using my senses to build an impression of a place and make it my own. The drawings, along with memories, are the starting point for the paintings. I work intuitively with mixed media, starting each new body of work by painting spontaneously from memory, working over several pieces usually on paper.

I use acrylic paint combined with collage, oil pastels and water-soluble crayons. Once I have several small pieces completed, I use these alongside my original drawings to scale up, working on cradled board or canvas. Colour wise, I think carefully about what I want to convey within the painting. Colour can represent an emotion, the season, weather conditions, something seen or felt. I prefer to use a limited palette. I create uplifting paintings, full of texture, and movement. A celebration of well-loved places which I hope resonates with the viewer.