I am a full-time freelance Graphic Designer, living and working in Ipswich, Suffolk with my partner Richard. I have always had an interest in Fine Art, studying Art at GCSE and A-level, followed by a BTEC Diploma in Art and Design at West Suffolk College in 2003.

 

Although I studied Fine Art briefly at school and college, I have never been taught anything 'proper' when it comes to painting, so have spent the last 10 years or so experimenting and teaching myself in the free time that I have outside of my 'day job'.

 

I have decided (although have no point of comparison!) that teaching yourself to paint is probably the best way to learn. I have spent a lot of time learning what works for me and what doesn't, and most importantly that you must not give up when it all starts to go pear-shaped! Perseverence is a wonderful thing that I have learned... more often than not, it will turn out ok in the end :)

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Painting nature in my own style enables me to create a bolder and often exaggerated version of the original image. Of course, nature is often powerful and impressive it's own right, however, the freedom of a blank canvas allows me to explore my own interpretation of that still moment in time, and I love that I can turn it into whatever I want to.

 

The medium I choose for a particular painting is dependant on many things. However, I always paint with either oil or acrylic. Making the decision between the two for a particular painting depends solely on one thing... whatever feels right at the time. Ok, so there's nothing proper or technical in my decision making process of what kind of paint to use, but I'm purely self-taught and that's the way I do it! As far as I'm concerned, sea paintings generally suit oil, and tree paintings suit acrylic... they just do.

 

You can always guarantee that my version of a natural landscape will be brighter and more saturated than it's reality. Dark skies will be darker, flowers more plentiful, and waves more aggressive. The last thing I want to produce is a photorealistic painted reproduction of what nature is really like. If I wanted that, I would take a photo and reprint that! Using a reference photo as my starting point is useful, but I want to make the painted version my own.

 

See the 'Gallery' page for a selection of paintings I have done over the last few years...