News — Inspiration

 A simple story of a painting.

Sometimes it’s the simple pleasures of living in this beautiful county that bring a lingering smile, such as looking forward to the casual, yet dynamic blooming of the wild poppies in June. The impact can be just a single lost flower or the invasion of a whole field swathed in red.

 But usually it’s a graceful lacing of the field edges - red heads of delicate crepe paper petals bobbing in the breeze.

This June on a winding lane from Edgefield, near Holt, there was a particularly wonderful field of poppies - so inspiring I had to paint the view.

Drawing Conclusions

To re-tread footprints on a favourite walk, where sky and sea and earth meet and buffer, is a treat even on a windy, grey January day. The North Norfolk coastline is a sanctuary to wildlife and people – an ethereal interface that inspires and nurtures.

We surrender to the elements - embrace the gash of wind and rain and hear the roar of tide and turn.

See 37 seconds of a panoramic video of the windy walk at Cley.

What inspires artists to capture something - a stimulus that sparks an exhilarating ignition to respond. The stark winter landscapes of North Norfolk, with their strong graphic qualities, contrive a creative approach where the editing out of features is as much the artistic remit as what one includes. This challenging duality delivers sparse vistas with intricate detailing in the forms.

The Land Song Collection has emerged organically from the seasonal study of the East Anglian countryside and coastline. It aims to reflect the quiet song where a rhythmic beauty is broken by staccato: tree, farm and village. The drawings are direct responses to actual sites that can be visited through the name or grid references supplied with each print. The Collection will continue to evolve and expand as the sky’s envelope opens.

Cley Windmill

The ghost of the mill sails turn to the rhythm of the historic wind.

Burnham Norton

In Burnham Norton, marshes wrap and ooze watery ribbons of grey sky. Reeds form natural weather vanes swaying in the breeze whilst beyond the edge, where watery and aerial worlds collide: creatures dance in the interface embracing the fluctuating borders of their habitat.