Artist Statement

Having moved from Cambridgeshire to Derbyshire I became fascinated by the contrast in landscape. I live in beautiful Whatstandwell, with glorious views over the Derwent River and Cromford Canal. A wonderful place to live and explore. Having retired as an art teacher it was time to develop my own ideas and skills in art. I loved landscapes and initially worked in watercolour, painting in our purpose built studio overlooking the valley. In 2020 my life changed dramatically, when I lost my wife due to an accident. I attempted to continue my landscapes but they seemed to lack relevance. I began to look for another way to express my feelings and thoughts. This led to lots of expressive and experimental abstracts. ‘Fractured’ has been a constant theme but gradually I realised I needed to find ways to explore ‘Beneath the Surface’ and began to use layers of paint, texture and mixed media to explore how my life had changed, cutting back through the layers to reveal what’s underneath. Painting for me has been a vital process in dealing with the stages of grief. Fortunately, it resulted in bright and exciting pieces of art.
I love a challenge and took on hosting a Ukrainian family and am a founding member of the ArtStand Collective. This led to opportunities for new ideas for work and the development of lifelong friendships.
I tend to work mostly in acrylics and oils now and probably describe my work as experimental Abstracts with expressive tendencies, although landscape still creeps back in occasionally!
Do visit my studio and enjoy both the work and the fantastic views. I am happy to chat and look forward to welcoming you.