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Trees have always been my 'thing'!

However, some would argue that after looking at my artwork there is a variety of subject matter (this is largely because of commissions, which I turn my hand to anything as I love a challenge!). I take too many pictures of trees - my phone is full of them and everyone I walk with gets used to me stopping to pull my camera out again! I sketch many of my ideas out in sketchbooks to plan out my compositions. Once the painting starts, I love my fan-shaped brushes to help with the leaves and effects.

I enjoy painting beach scenes/seascapes, and find them so relaxing and happy (nothing like a warm summers day to paint, to lift your spirits!). As well as mixed media, I add sand and shells from that particular beach to personalise each painting.

There is a lot of mess with this, so I usually work on big counter tops for large bands of colour - great fun and quite spontaneous too, with lots of beautiful ochres and translucent Cerulean and Prussian blues used too.

Recently, I have been helping someone I support who has autism to start to learn to paint. They make their own canvasses for birthday presents throughout the year. In advance, I draw out the subjects for them and make the canvasses into 'painting by numbers' and simplify them greatly. I number block out the areas and even mix the colours he needs too. We have both been really pleased with the finished results! They have even learned to wash their brushes out thoroughly - a remarkable achievement that makes them so happy! I get so much joy from their cheerful smile from doing this - it's a real buzz when someone likes and feels pleased with a piece that I have created and they have made.