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The first time I saw Turners watercolours was at the British Museum in 1982. My grandparents had emigrated to Australia from Margate, where they had an antique store. My grandmother loved Turner's watercolours of Margate and often spoke of them when I was a teenager. I bought a book of Turner's watercolours on my way home to Putney, where I first lived when I moved to the UK. After reading the book I enrolled in an art course, from then on I was hooked. As a student I would paint in sketchbooks with watercolours, never leaving home without my small...

A spectacular sunrise in February when the sky and air where clear and crisp. Getting the light effects of nature is always the challenge for artists.  My intention with these paintings is to paint the sublime. I've used Turner Yellow in these four paintings pictured below to mimic the effect of the glow over the Goodwin Sands that Turner so admired about Thanet skies.   I'm one of those swimmers in Deal who swim all year. The view changes every day and I've only been in at sunrise a couple of times. Mostly I walk at sunrise and take in...

Painting with watercolours is a quick intuitive process that can be fully realised in one sitting. But in this instance all of these small paintings were done over a number of sittings. The reason is that the paper gets too wet and the initial layers need to dry before adding more paint. Particularly as I paint very wet on dry to add the the ethereal effect. Leaving the blank paper as the highlights. Like silver sparkles on the water and around the clouds. From 17 May 2021 I will Open my Studio to the public on Saturdays. You will be...

Self assessment is always a difficult process. How to be honest while still portraying who you are to an audience. When I started this self portrait something bad happened in my life, on top of the current pandemic and isolation, it made me very sad. So in the early stages of the painting my portrait looked sad. Lots of friends and family commented with concern on social media. I didn't want the portrait, which will last for centuries, to reflect me in a moment of unhappiness. I'm generally a jolly upbeat person who generates positive vibes in the world. I...

One of my favourite views of the sunrise in my local town is under the Deal Pier. Looking through the pillars at the sun rising over the sea is spectacular and has inspired two of these paintings. I like to split the views up into three sections creating a more abstract view of the pier. You can view these painting on my website by clicking on the link. They are all for sale. With so many galleries closed or closing because of the pandemic, I am selling them direct to customers online. If you would like me to do a...