Artist Statement

My work is inspired by places I know intimately and return to again and again. I am drawn to overlooked areas of land and city. Landscapes are to me, living entities which continue to change. Using patterns, curves and the rhythms of the land, I try to capture the spirit and my feelings for specific places. Colour, either vivid or subtle, and perhaps influenced by living in Africa for many years, remains central to my work. I work in situ using sketches, rough photos and written notes before completion in the studio.

Visually, the countryside around Sheffield, Derbyshire and Yorkshire provides me with a myriad of surfaces and patterns to explore in paint, printmaking and collage. Certain ecologies, such as the birch woods found through the Peak District, represent for me, the gracefulness found in other art forms such as contemporary dance. Metaphorically, the Dark Peak provides me with a sense of freedom while at the same time a pagan connection to the elements and a feeling of timelessness.

I have recently achieved a number of awards including: Derbyshire Trophy (2022 Buxton Museum), Wirksworth 2021 Judges' Prize, British Open Short list (2021).