History and Background

As long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed painting and drawing. An early piece I produced at the age of 10 hangs in my studio and acts as a constant reminder of how much I enjoy the freedom of putting paint to paper and canvas.

During my childhood we travelled widely and often lived by the sea, the main inspiration of my artwork then and now. Two of our stops were Rome and Naples, so I was also lucky enough to be influenced by these culturally rich environments for a few years. Nearly all of our family holidays were spent sailing, which I was not that confident about at first, but over time I grew to love our days at sea. I have fond memories of sitting on the bow of our small family yacht - when the sails were up and the engine was off, there was a magical moment where I could hear only the wind and movement of the waves. Sometimes exciting, sometimes calming, the sea environment became like a second home to me. Those experiences have played a large role in shaping the artist I have become. The artwork surrounding me at home, paintings by my great grandfather Rowland Hill, also played a role in my development. A Royal Academician, he was a founding member of the Staithes Group of Artists, and his work allowed me to appreciate colour and composition from a young age.

My mother was a special needs teacher, and through her work she sparked an interest in me regarding the healing qualities of art. Art as therapy actually ended up providing the basis for some of my research at university. After school, my foundation art course opened my eyes to all the disciplines in art and allowed me the opportunity to experiment with other mediums. I found I was continually drawn to painting, interested by the effects I could achieve with different methods of application. The freedom which painting offered me allowed me to develop the expressive manner in which I work today. I continued painting throughout my BA Fine Art degree at Nottingham Trent University, becoming increasingly interested in the colour and scale of paintings. I can only imagine my parents thoughts whenever I returned home with enormous paintings! Having read theatre studies at A Level, I have a strong tie to and appreciation of theatre, and subsequently some of my work seems to have theatrical qualities influenced by set designs.

Wanting to understand the art world as an industry following my degree, I accepted an internship and then an offer of a full time post at Christie's in London. Four years at the world's leading auction house provided me with an opportunity to see some treasured works of art and to work with leading specialists in the art world, broadening my knowledge and inspiring me greatly. Following several successful freelance commissions, I made the leap to practice painting full time in 2008 and moved to Bath. With my industry knowledge I embarked on running my own exhibitions, which allowed me to gauge the public response to my work - it was an encouraging experience! Since then I haven't looked back and my work has appeared in galleries throughout the UK. I feel so grateful to now earn a living doing something I love.

Ideas and Inspirations

Since I was introduced by my A Level teacher to the work of Frank Auerbach I have always been fascinated by the way paint is applied to the canvas and how different methods can create effects. I've also been greatly inspired by the expressiveness and dynamism of Jackson Pollock, who opened my eyes to pushing the boundaries of painting. However, it is the emotive nature of shifting coastal environments that provide me with my library of colour, movement and atmosphere. There are so many aspects to the sea, and through my paintings I want to communicate its unique energy. Having spent time growing up on various parts of the British and Italian coastlines, I feel I have an understanding of the environment and subsequently the knowledge of how to reflect it in my paintings. My brother lives in Plymouth, so most of my coastal explorations are now focused in the depths of Devon and Cornwall. I take my sketch book everywhere so I can always record things that inspire me, even if it is simply to take notes - my mind is constantly observing and absorbing my surroundings.

From Palette to Picture

When I plan a painting I like to sit at my desk with my sketch book and photos, and focus on the elements I find interesting. I then roughly work out the proportions of the key elements in the painting with a quick sketch. This usually gives me a good idea of how the painting will look, although this is not always the case. It's at this stage that I like to experiment with different scopes, angles and colours.

The next step sees me loosely transferring this sketch directly onto the canvas with graphite. Once this is done I start to paint the outlines of the key elements before moving onto the most exciting aspect - capturing the communicating the sea's emotion. This can be quite a physical process using large brushes and palette knives - this energy is reflected in the paintings.I enjoy working in acrylic as it allows me to work quickly and build up layers, which create depth of colour and a range of textures from very thin washes to impasto where the paint appears to come out of the canvas. I like to experiment, applying the paint with various sized palette knives and large brushes, which allow me the freedom to create exciting painterly marks - I feel these reflect the vibrant characteristics of the coastal environments and wildness of the waves and wind. Needless to say it can be quite a messy process and sometimes my Labrador Hamish has to run for cover from flying paint!

A Day in the Life of

I get up early and head straight for my studio. Having worked at Christie's I like routines and don't want to waste my mornings. I enjoy painting everyday but don't always manage to do it all day long. My studio provides me with a quiet hideaway to work in - it is very light and I can really tuck myself away and concentrate on my work. I usually work on two or more paintings at a time, which gives me a good opportunity to stand back and assess each work with fresh eyes. I listen to a range of music from when I work as radio tends to distract me. After painting through the morning, I'm always reminded it's lunchtime by my Labrador Hamish. Whatever the weather he never wants to miss his walk! My time with him is actually a great chance to get out in the fresh air and reflect on the day so far. In the afternoon I head back to the studio and, depending on the development of a painting, I will either return to the canvas or work on updating my website, arranging exhibitions or all the other things that artists have to do! I try to head home at a decent hour, but depending on how the painting is going I might work into the early evening.