“My painting is mainly landscape based, currently concentrating on the Cumbrian fells around my home. In my work I try to get more than just the 'photographic image ` of what is there and to encompass all the feelings of the place, emphasising and exaggerating certain aspects if needed. Colours, form and weather all play an important role in determining this. My smaller work on paper, using acrylics, is normally carried out fairly quickly in one sitting, with that moment in time being the essence of the painting. Ideally I would always paint outside in front of the actual view but due to the Cumbrian weather this is not always possible so I often paint using sketches and photographs to take me back to the place and time.
I mostly paint using fairly large brushes and pallet knives as I feel this lets you express feelings more clearly and allows you to work on the whole keeping it fresh rather than getting too tight. Some beautifully subtle effects can be created using such 'clumsy' tools. My paintings in oil on canvas are also a mixture of studio and plein-air work often being much larger, taking longer to complete. Oil paint can be worked with outside for much greater periods due to its resistance to rain. Working out in all weathers can often bring out strong feelings in the paint, adding another dimension to the work.”
