Artist at work

As an artist I find myself regularly inspired by coastline, weather and landscape. The land and sky are continually changing; it is always different, never the same.  The light and weather evolve constantly, describing and shaping the landscape and its appearance.

I regularly visit local beaches, as well as further afield, where I take photographs, sketch and take notes, to record the experience. I gather this research of the beach visit and return to the studio to paint.

Using household emulsion, inks and acrylics I start to describe the drama of the view, and the shape of the clouds and the land. I initially apply the paint in layers using various brushes both wet and dry, forming the land in more detail, and by using chalks, pen and pencil over and within the wet paint.

With paint markers and thick paint, I highlight waves and sea foam.  After some time, I apply oil-based layers, using thinned oil paint and painting resin.  I continue with mark-making, using pen, pencil and chalk, describing areas of the land, sea, spume and the direction of the rain falling in the sky.

Finally, I apply some real gold leaf to the areas I want to highlight, to describe where the sunlight touches the land and sea.