From an early age, painting has been both instinctive and essential part of my life. At the age of seven, I won my first art competition in my local town’s art competition with a painting of a yellow wagtail. It was then that I understood art would be my life’s pursuit: not only to record what I see, but to interpret and give tribute to the beauty of the world through paint and colour. Throughout my school years, this passion matured into a discipline. I devoted myself to studying line, form, and colour with increasing intensity, exploring the relationship between precision and expression. I came to understand that a painting could be more than a faithful record; it could also embody atmosphere, emotion, and movement. This combination continues to shape my practice, which rests upon two distinct yet complementary traditions of realism and impressionism. My realist works are characterised by meticulous detail, measured brushwork, and an emphasis on texture and form. In these pieces, I seek to honour the subject through accuracy and fidelity, capturing its essence with clarity and respect. One of the most significant examples of this is my oil painting of the Three Horses along side a range of commissioned pet portraits, work that embodies my fascination with the strength, sensitivity, and elegance of these remarkable characters. Each layer of paint was applied with patience and precision to render the sheen of their coats, the depth of their gaze, and their graceful persona. In contrast, my impressionist works invite a freer approach, enabling me to explore energy, light and atmosphere through creative and expressive brush strokes of quintessential colour. This can be seen across pieces of my work, in particular the Poppy Field, an oil painting which exemplifies this direction. Here, I relish in the celebration of movement and rhythm of subject within context. Feeling the bold crimson of the flowers which are set against a collection of more subdued tones, sculpted in sweeping layers of oil, creating a sense of life and transience. Though differing in execution, both realism and impressionism in my practice are my passion and colour is my instrument in this endeavour. I mould and layer each element of reflection, allowing it to breathe across the surface with both rhythm and light. My aim is always to create works that resonate with life, paintings that invite deep contemplation, evoke memories, and ignite emotion. Although I usually paint on canvas for painting and card for drawing I remain open to other mediums as subject and purpose require. In all my work, I aim to balances careful mastery with an instinctive responsiveness to the subject’s emotional and atmospheric character. Providing the viewer with a lasting and personal relationship with each piece that they take in. Reflecting on my journey, from the yellow wagtail of my childhood to my more recent explorations of realism and impressionism, I see a path defined by passion, dedication and heartfelt drive for each formation of my artwork. Painting is my passion and it is a privilege to share that vision.