Things I’ve Noticed…
For a long time, I called this journal Studio Notes — a place to share glimpses into my painting process and the stories behind my work.
Over time, I realised that the beginnings of my paintings often happen long before I enter the studio. They begin with noticing: a shift in light, the colour of a field, the sound of birdsong, the texture of a hedgerow, or a fleeting moment in the landscape.
This is a place to gather those observations — the small things that catch my attention and, sometimes, find their way into a painting.
I’d love for you to join the conversation — if something here sparks a thought, makes you smile, or inspires an idea, drop me a comment! It’s always a joy to hear from fellow creative adventurers.
Field Notes: Books That Changed the Way I Notice…
I've found myself returning to The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.
It's one of those books that seems to reveal something different every time I open it. Not because the words have changed, but because I have.
As I was reading, a long distant memory floated to the surface…
My mum once told one of my teachers that she couldn't understand why I kept rereading books. "Surely," she said, "once you'd read a book, you knew how it ended."
My teacher smiled and replied that each time we return to a book, we bring a different version of ourselves to the reading.
I've never forgotten that.