I am an allaprima oil painter based in St Margaret’s Bay where I grew up inspired by the seascapes of JMW Turner. My work explores colour and light in a contemporary impressionistic style. My aim is to capture likeness and a three dimensional form with a loose realism, clean, unified and harmonious colours.

 

I always wanted to go to art school but instead studied English literature and History of Art then I went to law school and ended up in the corporate world. It was only after the birth of my daughter I came back to painting. I have learnt from books (Arthur Stern) and under the virtual tuition of Sarah Sedwick and Jane French. I have many contemporary influences- Carol Marine, Sarah Sedwick, Jeremy Duncan, Christopher Long, Tim Benson and Jane French to name a few.

 

This gallery catalogues some of my daily painting journey over the last 18 months. I work from life and from references and I like alla prima (quick, all in one, wet on wet oil painting) because it's full of movement and texture, I like efficiency and it stops me fussing over details. I have found that painting as an activity is like medicine and is the best way I know to get along with myself. I show up every day, but as the mother of a busy toddler it can be a very stop and start process and I'm not striving for perfection. So they say, painting 100 apples makes you a better landscape/ portrait/ figurative (and so forth) painter and this is all very much a lifetime goal. 

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