I was born in London in 1961 but have had a long association with the West Country. My association with Devon began with holidays to my godfather near Ipplepen when I was very young. I studied at Exeter University and was fortunate to discover the Exe estuary and spent a memorable year living in Lympstone. This cemented my love of painting especially light on water. I live in Cornwall.
In 1998 I was introduced to Robert Lenkiewicz in Plymouth who agreed to teach me. My book ‘Lessons with Lenkiewicz’ (2013) is an account of this experience which includes details of the lessons themselves in diary form. Later I became a trustee of The Lenkiewicz Foundation for several years.
My varied output includes paintings on canvas, watercolours and etchings. In broad terms my inspiration comes from colour and pattern: abstract qualities found around us. This comes before subject matter. It is the colour, pattern, light and dark found in landscape, the sea, urban architecture, gardens and patterned fields, for example, which form the arena for this exploration.
I am also fascinated by people. The working man, on a boat, in a field, alone with his thoughts; dancers lost in the moment and more detailed enquiry into individuals through portraits.
I established my Studio Gallery in Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth in 2015 and I run a weekly Portrait Clinic there and teach on a one to one basis.
I am an Academician of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Art (SWAc).
I have exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London in both the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual exhibition. In 2018, I was shortlisted for the Jacksons Art Competition and was invited to exhibit at the Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead. I recently exhibited at The Exeter Show at the Maynard School raising money for the Young Minds charity. In 2020, I reached the second round of the BP Portrait Award.
I have appeared on national television painting a number of paintings in real time. The program is ‘Unwind with ITV’, a regular mindfulness series. Here's a link to my episode on the ITV hub (Series 2 Episode 57):
Over the years I have carried out portrait commissions and dance commissions as I am an active member of the Argentine tango community, running Cafe Flores in Plymouth. My paintings have been purchased internationally.
