Master Painters of the World 81lovingly handcrafted by my father-
in-law and patiently gessoed by my
reluctant studio assistant—my loving
husband. I start a painting o with a
very loose sketch done with thinned oil
paint. I then block in the colours using
this as a guide. Finally, I apply paint
from dark to light, from top to bottom,
adding even thicker paint as I reach the
focal points. roughout the process,
I use an impasto gel to keep the paint
buttery, textural and easier to spread(it also quickens the drying time). I do
use traditional techniques at various
stages in my process and I believe
that my style and use of colour gives
a contemporary feel to an otherwise
traditional subject.Sun and Shadows, oil on cradled panel, 30 x 30" (76 x 76 cm)
I can’t get enough of the various greens in England and I am really inspired by the patchwork fi elds of the English countryside. The best scenes are on a sunny day
after it has stormed the night before. You get these amazing clouds that cast beautiful dark shapes across the sunlit fi elds. For this work, I used reference photos
and memory to draw out the position of the fi elds. I go straight in with the palette knife and sometimes a large brush, working from the sky to the blue hazy
fi elds, then to the vibrant foreground.