How Did I Become An Artist? When and how did I learn to paint?

I often get asked at the annual local Open Studios event how long I have been painting, and how did I learn. So, here is a short review of my art journey to date. I have attended various courses and groups over the years, and I reflect here on how the different tutors have influenced me. I’ve included some images of my work to illustrate how my painting has changed and developed.

I started painting about 9½ years ago, having previously never done anything creative. My first teacher was the wonderful Alison Orchard.  Alison’s work includes wonderfully expressive and atmospheric landscapes and seascapes and this is what drew me to her weekly class that I attended for several years. I look back very fondly on that time - it was such a friendly and supportive group. I learnt various technical skills from Alison, but I think one of the most important things I gained from her was the feeling that art was fun, about experimentation, trying new techniques and ideas. Her classes sparked a creativity within me that I didn’t know was there and I loved attending.

Noar Hill IV: Ink and mixed media study of a landscape near my home.

At that time, we were working in different areas and trying out various techniques (e.g. life drawing, still life, mixed media, collage). For me the landscapes and seascapes were what really excited me, but I gained a lot from everything that we did. These pieces are examples of the kind of work I was producing then, painting in acrylic and using ink and mixed media techniques. I think my desire to capture the energy within the landscape was already there, and my love of a big sky was beginning to emerge.

Storm Coming: Acrylic and mixed media seascape on canvas.

A few years into the class with Alison, I took my first step towards focusing on landscape art, attending an experimental landscape painting course led by Anthony Garrett through the Newlyn Art School in West Cornwall. There was some studio work and teaching, but my most striking memories of the course are of working outside, on the cliff top at Pendeen and at the stunning Sennen Cove. We completed drawing exercises clinging onto drawing boards and paper on the cliff tops, collaged found materials into paintings on the beach at Sennen, painted en plein air at Pendeen in rapidly changing weather conditions, and experimented with painting with rust. The exercises were quite challenging, but it was a lot of fun and Anthony was a very supportive and knowledgeable tutor. Working exposed to the elements in such a wonderfully rugged and wild landscape was a fantastic experience.

Sennen: A large mixed media on paper seascape, largely completed at Sennen Cove whilst on the course with Anthony Garrett.

In 2017 I revisited Cornwall on a trip to take another landscape painting course with the fantastic Paul Wadsworth. Paul creates wonderful, expressive landscapes, veering towards abstraction, with thick paint and bold brushwork. My memories of this course are of painting outside in the beautiful setting of Paul’s studio, working within the studio whilst a storm raged outside, and then - perhaps my favourite of all - painting at Priest’s Cove on the final day, until the wind became too strong to be possible to paint (my palette blew away!). The course was really invigorating and exciting and learning from Paul, and watching him paint, was very inspiring.

Autumn Sea I: One of the plein air paintings I made during the course with Paul Wadsworth.

A few years ago I also completed a couple of day workshops with the fantastic Claire Wiltsher. Based in the New Forest, Claire creates evocative landscapes and seascapes with a focus on creating a sense of the place, energy, and weather conditions of the moment. The workshops used mixed media to experiment with different techniques, including collage, and applying paint in a variety of ways including with brushes, palette knives, rollers, sponges, and fingers (e.g. to flick the paint across the canvas). The workshops offered a fun environment fostering experimentation and exploration of new techniques and Claire was very supportive with her teaching and feedback.

Into The Light: Acrylic on canvas - a good example of the influence of the Claire Wiltsher workshops.

In the autumn of 2017 I started what was to become 3 years working within the School of Landscape Painting, under the tuition of Christopher Baker. This period helped me to really drill down further into my reasons for painting the landscape, understanding the historical context of landscape painting, and developing my understanding and application of technical skills. Having not received a formal art training, I feel this period helped me to fill in some of the gaps to consolidate my knowledge and skills (still an ongoing process today!).

Frosty Morning III: Charcoal study made in the fields close to my home.

During the first year I focused on going back to basics in terms of developing drawing skills and working tonally, often with charcoal. I also switched to paint with oils - something I had often wanted to do, but had been too scared to do for some reason. With the oils I was initially creating tonal studies with just two pigments and white, introducing a little more colour towards the end of the year.

Beyond The Field: Oil on canvas - made towards the end of my first year with the School of Landscape Painting.

During my second year with the School of Landscape Painting I visited Pembrokeshire for the first time on a field trip with the group. The rugged, wild, mystical landscape of St David’s Head particularly captivated me, as did the glorious Whitesands Bay. I also undertook a plein air project, painting the view from my garden several times over the course of the year. I haven’t painted en plein air for some time, but it’s something I’m considering trying again as I love the challenge and immediacy of working out within the landscape.

Whitesands I: Oil on canvas - inspired by the wonderfully rugged Pembrokeshire coast.

Autumn II: One of the plein air paintings made from my garden during my second year with the School of Landscape Painting.

In May 2019, a three day course with the wonderful Louise Balaam at the New School of Art really moved forward my confidence with the oils. Louise inspired us to work really thickly with the paints, premixing large quantities using a limited palette before painting freely and instinctively from our memories of sketching and experiencing the landscape. After this course I painted a lot of oil on paper pieces - Louise’s instruction included working fast to try to capture the essence of the landscape and emotional responses to it. 

From The Garden In Spring: Oil on canvas - shows the development of my painting following the course with Louise Balaam.

My third year with the School of Landscape Painting focused on colour. I enjoyed a second trip to Pembrokeshire, cementing my love of the wild and rugged landscape there. I enjoyed developing my use of pastels to create studies outside within the landscape. Continuing from the course with Louise Balaam, I frequently worked with oil on paper producing quick studies using thick oils. Looking back, I can see that this was the year when my fascination with evening light started to take hold.

Pastel study made from my garden.

The Wood In Autumn: An example of work from my third year with the School of Landscape Painting.

A final key influence to date was watching a landscape painting demo by Tim Benson via Zoom during the first lockdown of 2020. Following that, I am currently using Tim’s palette of 6 colours, plus white. I am now mixing colours as I go (rather than premixing) and painting typically on board or canvas. I’m experimenting with scaling up too. Since lockdown I’ve been focusing increasingly on skies and light - I think reflecting my desire for escape from the constraints and anxieties of the pandemic, and to retain a feeling of hopefulness.

Fiery Sky II: An example of my current work, adopting a contemporary impressionist approach, as demonstrated by Tim Benson.

I don’t know how I will evolve next with my art. The changes over the past few years have not been conscious or premeditated, but rather have grown out of the experiences and teachers that I have sought out, and out of an ongoing desire to try out new techniques and ideas. One of the great joys of art for me is that I am constantly developing, evolving and learning and I hope to continue doing just that for as long as I am able to hold a paint brush (or any other painting tool!).