Escaping

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1955, with Irish, Scottish, and Yorkshire roots, I've lived across the UK and Canada before settling by the sea in Paignton, Devon. After a 40-year corporate career as a Chartered Accountant and Business Psychologist—mainly in the creative industries—I followed a lifelong dream to become a full-time artist in 2020.

 

My work is inspired by travels to remote parts of the world, where I’ve absorbed diverse cultures, colours, and artistic traditions. I began with acrylics and watercolours, but in 2014 transitioned to oil painting, studying under acclaimed artists such as Martin Kinnear RCA, Cesar Santos, and Teresa Oaxaca. My practice blends modern realism with expressive abstraction, often exploring our relationship with nature and each other.

 

Living among the wild coastlines of Antrim, the Cotswolds' rolling hills, and Devon’s dramatic seascapes has deeply shaped my work. These landscapes and the people within them inspire paintings rich in emotion, colour, and meaning. I’m especially drawn to the human form and how it interacts with the environment.

I continue to evolve as an artist, always learning, always exploring. 

Oil on Canvas

50x75cm

Framed