Artist's Statement
I have lived in the Peak District all my life and therefore have a special connection with the landscape. By keeping to a small scale, I use this “restriction” to help me distil the essence of a scene. Painting in acrylics for their versatility and using a very limited palette, I depict the landscape of the hills and valleys, moors and fields. I paint whatever stops me in my tracks, preferring the subtleties of an unusual, overlooked view to the popular scene.I create a small sanctuary for each painting, which literally “float” in the centre of their box-like frames. Some landscapes have special meanings to us. Some landscapes offer comfort and reassurance. In a world of confusion and contradiction, I have crafted keep-sake landscapes – sanctuary for the bewildered.
I also have a fascination for Folk Art, and Gothic patterns and designs, and have recently completed a series of paintings using the graveyard and church interior for inspiration. I have developed the ideas gained through observation into a sequence of abstract studies of tone, pattern and negative shapes, and intend to explore this area further in the future.