2019
My original training was as a watercolour artist for a small studio in Surrey. I abandoned that to pursue an academic career and taught Philosophy & Psychology (specialising in Philosophy of Mind) for ten years. Overloaded with words and complex ideas, my mind was wilting from the lack of spontaneous input and so I began to paint abstract as pure expressionism. Once the palette knife was in my hand, I connected to abstract art in a way I had never connected to any creative output. I wouldn't say I have left Philosophy behind entirely, only that those concepts are finding a new channel. Dietrich von Hildebrand maintains that aesthetic dimension has a moral value and that beauty is transcendental. Beauty in art arouses the sublime in the human spirit.
I work in oils and prefer larger canvases, finding a mental openness when painting on this scale. What fascinates me most is energy and light; the energy and light within and without the human mind and soul, as well as the energy of a painting.
Although I began atelier training at London Fine Art Studios, I soon realised that fine art was not right for me. I am interested in the immediacy and freedom of abstract art and I found classical training too slow. I paint spontaneously and my style is organic expressivism. I veer towards a more nebular form as the transitions and blends are calming on the nervous system. My work is often commissioned for wellness clinics, hotels and so on because of this quality of stillness.
Other works may be more explosive and this reflects a dynamic side to my nature. I am inspired by the changing seas, as I live on the South coast of England.
My current practice is in Hastings, although I used to have a large
studio in South West France.
As well as painting, I am studying for a Masters in Creative Writing in London. The two art forms dovetail and support one another. Whereas writing is often a personal excavation, my art is highly nourishing and in this sense, painting is a way to replenish the energy expended in words.