Artist's Statement
My work has its roots in landscape, and is predominantly concerned with northern light and colour. Autumn, winter and spring are the times of year I like best because of the white light, full of clarity and sharp contrasts against the deep violets of distant hills — especially the hills of the Welsh Marches with their ancient geological history. As a colourist, I like to build up layers of thin washes before adding deeper shades. A white ground of gesso or paper enables the light to show, creating an impression of “looking through”.
The aim is to paint something intangible — perhaps the feeling of finding the source of light as it comes from behind the clouds or through the trees. It is the landscape of the imagination. Texture is also a strong component in my work. I take an experimental approach, using hand-printed marks as collages, to be incorporated in the painting. The forms, through abstract, are always biomorphic in origin.