I am a painter and printmaker based in Cambridge, UK. Growing up on Scotland’s east coast, I learned to sail when young and as a teenager, I enjoyed many voyages around the Hebridean Isles, an area that continues to pull me back on visits and sketching trips. This beautiful landscape continues to inspire with its fickle weather and constantly changing light. Back in the studio, these sketches are reworked into monotype prints. I also enjoy painting domestic still-life compositions and table arrangements, from a single humble teapot to an array of everyday utilitarian items.

Drawing has always been an important element to my work; in my late teens, I began fine art training in Italy in the European classical ‘atelier’ style under the close eye of ‘La Signorina’ Simi, a contemporary of ‘Il Maestro’ Pietro Annigoni, who was known for his fine royal portraits and who reviewed my early student work. This training honed my drawing and observational skills, providing a foundation for further studies in the UK followed by a career in graphic design and illustration and formed the bedrock for all that followed in my artistic development.

My current work is process driven, sometimes planned, at other times more spontaneous, depending on the materials used. I have developed three main styles using either print, encaustic collages or oil-based paint. I also enjoy working in water-based media, and whether I use watercolour or acrylic; this inspires a more spontaneous and experimental approach  for me.

In my paintings, I seek a personal approach and rather than follow conventional rules. I like to playfully explore the medium and express my feelings for a place or for those items that hold a personal memory for me. Relying on both observation and imagination, I endeavour to transform my paintings into something profound and arresting, far removed from the everyday and yet also familiar to the observer.