Having completed 'Our Worlds Collide' and thoroughly enjoying working with colour again after Christmas commissions, I decided to revisit the work that I started whilst on the course last summer with Gerry Dudgeon at Coombe Farm Studios.
It amazed me that after really struggling with it and putting it away for six months, how easily it all came together in the end. 
This was painted from sketches taken on a day sat in a beautiful garden that had the most breathtaking views across the Devonshire hills. The colours were heightened through observing the underlying hues and saturating them for my own pleasure.
I hope you like them! These and more new work will be exhibited 22-24th March in Macclesfield Town Hall, and again in April at The Bear Steps in Shrewsbury - subject to them being sold!

I find that life is about contrasts and the good times are always appreciated that much more if there have been some serious lows.
This painting for me is the narrative of that theory. I have been working with this painting for over a year and during the time it has been on and off my easel it has been through some pretty drastic changes. Friends that saw it through it's various stages have raised an eyebrow, looked concerned, sent me self help links and generally looked out for me!
I on the other hand have been frustrated, fed up, confused and finally relieved that it all finally made some sort of sense. 
I have been striving for a looser and more let's say, abstract handwriting but it is hard to achieve that without having to tick a lot of boxes along the way.
Drawing is the foundation of all good art. Fact. I can't be bothered to argue with anyone that doesn't think this is the case so don't waste your breath. It is my opinion, and that of a lot of other artists that I admire.
​So I have been strict about practising and honing my observation skills. This is of course a daily habit and there is always something else to improve on, but I feel I have really worked hard on this particular aspect of my development - and will continue to do so.
Colour is something that I am obviously drawn to and I have studied colour theory and have a rough grasp of the do's and don'ts so wanted to see if I could put this into practice in a. larger piece of work.
Abstract however is a whole other kettle of fish! It has been one of the hardest things to try and develop! When you are so used to dealing with getting a likeness it is hard to let go and try to represent the 'essence', 'emotion', 'shape' or suggestion of form. A workshop led by the totally abstract Gerry Dudgeon and then day painting with the wonderfully expressive Lesley Humphrey taught me a lot!
So that is why this painting started out as a straight representation of a dressage horse and then went through many different identities including a black canvas at one point, to then come through like a phoenix form the flames and become my first painting of 2019!
Happy New Year to you all and I hope that it is a happy, healthy, challenging (in a good way), and prosperous one for you all! 
Thanks for following me along the way