I have always found inspiration in the natural world and have been fortunate enough to experience nature in all of her varied guises. 

I most frequently take inspiration from the world on my doorstep - in my work you will see both my joy at the unfurling of a Wye Valley Spring and the delight I feel when I my artist’s shed is graced by a visitor from the wild. 

Although I paint what could be considered traditional subjects, I love the challenge of experimenting with many varieties of artistic medium. This interest in mixed media began when I studied textile printing, dyeing and painting at Whitelands College, Putney, under the tutelage of the notable textile artist, Nora Proud.

After training as a teacher with a specialism in Art, I worked in London, Bristol and the Forest of Dean, passing on my passion for art to my students. 

I was invited by the British government to travel twice to St Helena and Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean to implement a programme of teacher training. 

A plane journey to Cape Town followed by a five day boat passage on RMS St Helena proved an opportunity to rekindle my love of painting and drawing.

It was here on these tiny, isolated British overseas territories that I found the time to revisit my passion for art. Ascension Island with its lunar landscape (they trialled the moon buggies there) gave me the opportunity to study shape and form of rocky outcrops, deserted beaches and even that of the leatherback turtle. Colour and form was everything. 

St Helena is a miniature ecosystem of rainforest, wooded valleys, and vast expanses of ocean. This varied geography allowed me to experiment artistically with a number of textures and approaches. 

Retirement found me taking on the role of carer to elderly dependents and wonderful grandchildren and my art had to be temporarily put to one side. 

Over the past few years I have been able to begin again and took inspiration from various tutors and art classes. I have enjoyed the challenge of exploring new mediums and find particular satisfaction in the creation of fluid/pouring art.

Pouring art’s unique representation leads to vibrant but delicate cell formation. It now forms part of my painting style and I often combine it with collage, ink and fabric layering to achieve a striking mixed-media finish.

I find that the end stages of a painting only begin after the destructive phase and initial paint application have taken place. A painting can begin life as a piece of fluid art and finish as a seascape. 

I hope that those viewing my work will find some of the joy in it that I feel whilst creating it.