From a young age, I have always enjoyed drawing, painting and generally being creative and have been encouraged by both professional and amateur artists in my family, so it must be in my genes!
Having enrolled at a nearby college a few years ago to take a beginner's art course, I was able to use a variety of mediums including graphite pencils, charcoal, pastels, watercolours and oils but I discovered that I really liked acrylic paints and what I could do with them. After this the opportunity arose to join a local acrylic painting class, through which I gained a great deal of experience and encouragement and, more recently, I have started to create artwork using both coloured and graphite pencils. I continue to increase my knowledge and skills in my chosen mediums by attending workshops, demonstrations and also through online tutorials.
My style is generally photorealistic, with the very occasional dip into something a bit more loose. I’m inspired by pictures of everyday places, objects, animals and people and then I just have an urge to re-create them. One of the most satisfying things I find about creating a piece of artwork is getting light and life into it; whether that is by reflections in water, highlights on a piece of fruit, the glint in a dog's eye or the expression on someone’s face.
The artwork I produce is a mixture of commissions and pieces created from images I find appealing.