About

We moved to the Isle of Lewis in 2008. To begin with, driving was a challenge, because I couldn't stop looking at the clouds and the sky. It's true that the skies are bigger here…

In the studio, the view from the window was so entrancing that I couldn't paint anything other than that, for at least a year. It seemed a lot more difficult than say painting a suburban garden as I had previously done, because now, we overlook a sea loch and it changes its appearance by the minute.

I did start to paint things from further afield, but still mostly the landscape within a mile of home. We just happen to live close to two of the best waterlily lochs - so waterlilies became an obsession. From late June to the end of July, I could often be found sitting by the loch. The local shop even delivered my weekend papers to the loch on one occasion and they knew exactly where to find me.

Painting outside can be a challenge. The window of opportunity is narrow as there is a lot of weather to cope with, especially strong winds or even worse, calm days which are attractive to biting insects. My waterlily paintings are mostly done 'en plein air' and I like to describe them as mixed media - acrylic paint with real black specks of west highland midge.

Other paintings are done in the studio, but they are always the result of close observations and photographs made on daily walks close to home, or to favourite haunts around the island. There is no shortage of inspiration.

It may be a cliché, but I am privileged to live on such a unique and beautiful island. I want to convey my experiences and share as much of it as possible, via the medium of my paintings and photographs. Working at the easel, trying to do just that, can be totally absorbing

and I have learnt not to be so distracted. However, it is still often the case that I look up, see what I have been missing out of the window and say 'Wow, just look at that!'