What I love most about painting is the feeling of being totally absorbed in the process of creating. Oblivious to time or any other concerns, focused only on my subject and bringing that to life with brush and paint. I am fascinated by the way light falls across a form, and this observation of the world around me is usually how a painting idea starts for me.
Where possible I’ll paint directly from life using oil paint in an Alla Prima or direct method, whether that’s setting up a still life, working with a model to paint the figure or portrait, or painting outdoors locally here in Lancashire or nearby Cumbria. If I’m not painting direct from life I’ll use my own photos as a reference.
I enjoy the freedom of painting whatever inspires me, I feel that the variation in subjects provides me with endless possibilities and challenges.
How it started
It probably won’t surprise you to read that I loved drawing as a kid. I watch my 9 year old son drawing now and it reminds me of my younger self; creating a world out of imagination with a pencil and paper, and being happy for hours on end doing it. As I got into my teenage years I stopped drawing altogether, partly from losing all confidence in expressing myself in art and partly due to other interests/life events taking precedent. I have worked in banking for 20 years and whilst I enjoy my work I have always felt I needed something else to occupy my creative side.
Above: a pencil drawing of my wife and son, from a photo I snapped in Williamson Park, Lancaster
Below: my ‘Bargue’ master copy of ‘Jeune Femme’ (right) next to the original plate (left), this was completed in an atelier setting and was a key exercise in my development for drawing and later on, painting
A holiday to Rome with my wife in 2015 and a visit to the Sistene Chapel is what reignited my desire to draw. Being surrounded by the beautiful artwork of the old Renaissance masters had a profound effect on me. So much so that within a couple of days of the visit I had bought a sketchbook and was copying Michelangelo’s famous figures. It really took off from there, the desire to improve fuelling the fire and keeping me interested.
Over time I’ve taken courses with different artists to learn new techniques and approaches, or studied from books & Youtube tutorials and receiving 121 mentoring through Patreon especially for learning to paint.
Trips to the National Gallery & Tate Britain in London & Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh opened my eyes to some of the 19th century painters in particular, with their beautiful brushwork, use of colour, and the blend of realism and abstraction. Seeing the master works of Sargent, Sorolla, Solomon, Guthrie, Lavery, Waterhouse, as well as Vermeer, Rembrandt & Van Gogh in person was incredibly moving, and has had a huge impact on my artistic sensibilities.
Artistic Interests & Activities
Most weeks I attend Lancaster Life Drawing to paint the model from life in 5, 20 and 45 minute poses. This is a real work out for a painter and pushes me to work quickly and accurately! I also paint portraits from life once a month for a 3 hour sitting with my artist friends Sue Storer and Tom Boyle, both accomplished classically trained painters. Working with a small community of like minded artists is a privilege and I appreciate the sharing of ideas, support and camaraderie that comes with it.
Being a short drive from the Lake District I have no shortage of beautiful scenery to choose from for painting plein air. When I’m painting from my home in Lancaster I enjoy setting up a still life especially using bold colours, and playing with different themes. The regular practice of working from life has been key to my progression, I relish the challenge of observing the three dimensional world and trying to simplify and translate that into the two dimensional picture plane
Below: Selected paintings and studies from various activities
