Artist Statement

In my landscape paintings I seek to capture a moment in time: the scudding cloud shadows bringing the hills to life, or the eerie moment before a storm, when the sky is darker than the glowing land below; the sharp contrasts and warm colours of slanting autumn light, or the magical moment when the sun emerges from the clouds, spreading picture-book rays of silver like a benediction.
Capturing the moment also applies to portraits, whether it be a moment of laughter or contemplation, or the utter absorption of a small child with an ice cream. At the moment I am exploring the mood that can be created by the placement of a figure within the space of a canvas: in particular, I am interested in how people carve out time for themselves, creating a breathing space in busy lives, and how to show this sense of separateness in a painting.