My Process

Materials

I use watercolours, graphite, and coloured pencil on paper to create my work - sometimes one or two of these, and sometimes all three in one piece. Washes of colour, refined details and smudges of graphite all play a part in my creative process. I love to capture the mood of the plants with light washes of colour as well as bring out the incredible details of the subject’s lines, textures and folds with the coloured pencils. I use oil based coloured pencils by Faber-Castell (Polychromos) which blend together very well and offer punchy colour to the piece. Drawing my hand is a real joy as well which I often capture in graphite in order to bring light and importance to the plants that I paint in colour.

I am particularly drawn to graphite these days; I can get lost in the myriad tones of grey for hours. To reduce an image down to darks and lights allows me to focus solely on form, while the energy of the subject is still very much alive. Graphite also creates a wonderful opportunity to express texture and drama as well. It is a very versatile medium which I look forward to exploring more.

Subjects

Plants have been a huge source of inspiration for me for many years. Trees, flowers, seeds, herbs, home grown food - all of them! They are endlessly fascinating to me with their simple beauty, intricate structures and incredible diversity. The plants that are close by are what I choose to draw and paint the most. Connecting to nature and experiencing it’s energy is where all my artwork begins. I would much rather draw a flower or leaf that is part of my daily life and which I can see up close and hold in my hand.