There has been plenty of time to reflect this past year (2020/21) hasn’t there?

As a kid, I found simple joy just being outside and I found the time! I’d often try to capture my experiences using art and film photography. But that was too many years ago. I’d almost forgotten.

Then came responsibilities. Like many young folk I was uncertain which way to turn. But, heeding advice I dropped art for a language, science and maths. Well, the advice got me fully employed until retirement and to the best place in the world; Yorkshire!

Whilst working, I occasionally found time to paint but my day to day drivers were not art based, so I usually buried any creativity. Many other priorities came between me and my brushes.

Now I’m retired and I have rediscovered through cycling the pull of the outdoors, which in turn has rekindled my creative side. This time with the benefit of a lifetime of experiences to help me start to experiment. The recent restrictions have been kind to cycling. Sitting in a car is like sitting on your sofa – I might see something that attracts me on the screen in front, but the exprience lacks depth, interaction, a simple hello, I drive far, far less these days.

I mainly paint in oils on canvas. Some of my paints were 40 years old in the tube when I started painting again. I have replenished my stock since! I don’t have a studio, but a box room suits just fine. I am delighted to try new ways to paint that pull me away from my initial style.

I paint landscapes and portraits (although not live sitting – as yet). I console myself that the best used a camera obscura, ha ha!. Yorkshire landscapes play with the clouds to make, for me the perfect images. Who needs blue skies all of the time?