My subject is rich in history and meaning, it is both resilient and profoundly fragile. Making art is my way of praying for its future, of loving it, of thanking it, of being connected. I want to do more than simply record the beauty of nature, and by combining accuracy of detail with poetic representation and a conceptual background aim to explore deeper themes.
Scotland is rich in wild flowers and Physic Gardens, and it is here that I find much of my inspiration. Painting and drawing are at the heart of my practise, though I have also incorporated text, textiles, sound and film in artworks. My work is informed by research into my subject and by the work of other creative people, such as the Victorian botanical artist Mary Delany, the colour and energy of Winifred Nicholson’s paintings, the ideas of plant energy and our relationship to nature written about by Stephen Buhner and Robin Wall Kimmerer.
The latest from the blog
The Holly and the Ivy – for charity
Votive Offering - Holly and the Ivy(for protection, love and endurance)Holly, showing life even in the depths of winter, is a protective plant. In classical times Holly protected houses either as a bough above a door or planted around the house, the spiny leaves...
Winter Exhibitions 2020
I'm very pleased to have artworks in a number of winter/christmas exhibitions, please click on the links for more information: Firstly, 'Bring in the light', Tatha Gallery, Fife, where they are showing my 'Poesis' painting series including the one below, 'Votive...
Short Film Open Studios 2020
Delighted to present this short film to accompany this years 'Virtual Open Studio', a very short introduction to my studio and my work. Huge thanks to my friend Lizzy Hobbs who put it together for me incredibly quickly, truly a miracle that she managed to turn my...