
Nature is endlessly inspiring. It lifts my spirit and fills me with joy.
We are surrounded by beauty, but not all see it that way. I paint what I find beautiful, from magnificent landscapes to muddy puddles. And much in between.
Light, colour, contrast, form, texture and detail. These are the building blocks of what we see around us. I aim to convey a little of what I see, what gives me pleasure, and what makes me in awe of the world around us.
My goal is to remind those who see my work of the beauty that surrounds us, perhaps in places they have not looked for it before.
My story
I grew up in Lancaster watching my father paint wonderful pictures on the dining room table. He was a celebrated transport artist with a passion for buses and inspired me greatly. I used to try and copy his paintings, so it was no real surprise that at the age of 16 I found my way to Blackpool and Fylde College to study Technical and Scientific Illustration. Five years of study ended with a Distinction and passage into working briefly for English Heritage, finishing a project I’d started at college illustrating Furness Abbey in Cumbria.
After 12 months working on this beautiful building, and with itchy feet, I headed to the Netherlands to work for Philips Electronics as an Illustrator, where I stayed for just over two years. From there I went south to the Cote d’Azur in France, finding work with IBM and Accenture before becoming freelance in 1999. This gave me creative freedom and allowed me to develop and hone my skills as an artist and illustrator.
During my years in France I fell in love with the architecture of the old hilltop villages, the contrast of sunlight and shadow on stucco walls, colourful windows and interesting doorways. These found their way into my work, all the while continuing with my first love, wildlife; influenced by the likes of David Shepherd, Robert Bateman and Raymond Harris-Ching.
In 2013, after 25 years away I returned to the UK settling across the Pennines in York. Since then I have been rediscovering the UK landscapes and wildlife. This gave my work a fresh lease of life and inspired me to experiment with new techniques to try and capture what I saw around me.
I have exhibited in the UK and Europe. I have also recently run a few workshops introducing people to painting in watercolour.
My work hangs on the walls of customers in the UK, Europe and beyond.
Exhibitions
2000 - Châteauneuf de Grasse, France - Solo exhibition in the Village hall
2015 - Harrogate - HIVE Art Fair
2018 - Ripon - Great North Art Show
2022 - RIchmond, North Yorkshire - Perspectives - solo exhibition at the Station Gallery
2025 - York - Solo exhibition as part of York Open Studios 2025
2025 - Stillingfleet - Solo exhibition at Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens