I only feel I understand something if I have drawn it. This inspires me to draw and I have been recording my observations since an early age. Growing up in the English countryside fed and nurtured my curiosity of the world around me. I always work from life closely looking at every detail which enables me to connect with the subject. The physical act of creating an image, through the construction of an intricate maze of lines on a surface, is a compulsion. I like the resonating sounds created by a material leaving a mark, decision making, ink stained hands and accidental happenings. I am constantly questioning the quality of line and if I have effectively communicated the personality of the subject within a flowing composition. I enjoy layering marks through varying the pressure, direction, amount of ink, movement and surface. My latest work combines delicate drawings of plants with bold, dripped lines of paint, highlighting and contrasting the curves found in nature. The process is of equal importance to me as the artwork because they inform each other. I spend a similar amount of time looking and drawing. I generally draw for three hours in the morning, take a short break and return with fresh eyes for another session making use of the natural daylight. My love of drawing continues to be a thread running through my life.