My creative process has always revolved around the experience of the subject, particularly focusing on a specific place. It extends beyond the physical aspects to encompass its history, its people, and the imprints they leave on the landscape. The process typically commences with drawing, predominantly in black and white. This initial phase allows me to delineate a spectrum of shapes observed in the landscapes. Lots of my work has explored the north Cornish landscape but was also driven by the socio-economic history of absentee mine owners, Mining disasters and the physical effect of mining on the landscape. It’s important to say that my Dad was a miner therefore the situation certainly resonated with me.

The actual process of making always starts with drawing and nearly always in black and white where I can establish a range of shapes that I see in the landscapes, I look for patterns and rhythms normally created by fences, paths and roads. The biggest clash comes at the next stage, having trained a Printmaker my natural bent is towards a very graphical approach but as a painter I need a more expressive use of paint. Therefore, in any collection of mine you will see both aspects.

My smaller works are on paper with a gesso ground as this gives the paintings a resilient and textural base in which I try to capture the uncompromising character of the places I explore. – And his use of colour often allows the viewer to identify seasons. Larger pieces are concerned with physical mark making and the relationship between spaces within the picture plane.

Studio practice always means working on several pieces at one, often up to 10 pieces where I shift back and forward between pieces, I often refer to the collection as a family that talk to each other (and to me) As with most Artists I am happy to make mistakes, to get things wrong and to repurpose pieces that don’t meet expectations using collage to develop marks and surfaces. Nothing is ever finished, every piece I make can be developed and altered, and I am happy with that