My work seeks to express a sense of place through the rich colour of a printed surface and strives to express the landscape of memory, of places held with affection and times recalled.
Franz Kline the American Abstract Expressionist said “ I paint what I feel, not what I see.” This resonates with the spirit of my current practice, responding to the landscapes of much loved places as my points of departure.
Boyhood reminiscences of growing up in Yorkshire, hill walking in the dales, rambling over the moors, have created many fond memories. Now deeply etched within me, they are affectionate, timeless and heartfelt. The wilds of Devon and the Norfolk coast have also become much loved and I find within these landscapes a sense of timelessness and the ancient – there is a sense of awe and wonder!
My colours are celebratory and the mark making playful, abstract and gestural. As I call to mind that which I hold dear, it is the spirit of the place that I respond to, with all of its incumbent sounds, smells, sensations and associations. The touch of the sun on my skin, the wind in my face, the shadows of clouds scurrying across rock face and field, bracken brushing against my legs, earth scent in my nostrils and of being joyously elated. It is all of this that informs and influences mark and colour.
I would like the narrative of my work to evoke within you a feeling or recall of a sense of place, to stir a forgotten memory, a moment in time. It is my hope that these triggers can work to enrich any dialogues that may happen through the viewing experience.