Originally from Birmingham I formatively come from a Stonemasonry background.
Having trained in London I relocated to the South West working in the industry, as well as continuing to work on my own projects and taking on various commissions including headstones and figurative carving.
The Isle of Portland Dorset is now my home where I live with my wife and two daughters.
Due to a change in circumstances my priorities changed and I helped manage the care needs of my youngest daughter who was born diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. This meant that for a time the Stonecarving had to take a back seat. In order to satisfy my creative needs and to manage my time better I turned my attention instead to painting. A solid foundation had already been established from my father who himself was a proficient watercolour artist.
I quickly found that I took to the medium and I have produced a large body of work in a relatively short time. Interest in my work soon developed and I have built a solid reputation in the local art scene.
A subject matter can come in all forms. The sea and coastal scenes being a common theme throughout. I prefer to paint from life as it has a directness and captures the true essence and atmosphere of a place or a moment in time.
It is an unforgiving medium and you often tread a fine line between success and failure. I look for light, shape, tone and colour when selecting subject matter. These are important elements in any painting, as is good design.
My main aim is to capture the light. Watercolour is an ideal medium to achieve this due to its transparency and purity.
