‘Leaving Lines’ acrylic and graphite on paper

I was a kid who was always drawing, and it sometimes got me into trouble. It was compulsive and at school my ‘doodles’ were not appreciated especially when they appeared on a variety of surfaces. Though later art teachers were more encouraging. I left home and school and only occasionally drew or painted thereafter. I have a BA in film and photography but life took many different turns. 

It is only now I am older and retired I have started to sketch and paint again. I live in rural North Norfolk and find the natural world surrounding me a powerful presence. It gives me joy, calms me and turns me to contemplation. My art is the same and is fundamentally a conversation with myself.

I walk a lot often with a sketchbook and back in my studio I can see the influences in my work. I don’t tend to work from photos, and a lot of my landscape work is abstracted to some degree. I experiment with both materials and subject, having become more interested in portraiture. I started using mainly acrylics often layered heavily but am exploring oils and both watercolour and pastel. I am in danger of my art becoming as obsessive as it once was.