Can you walk me through your typical creative process from conception to completion?
My creative process varies depending on the subject matter. I like to have a concept or idea behind my work: Sometimes I like to allude to a wider narrative but often it is about the essence of the thing I’m about to paint and how it makes me feel.
When painting still life or floral paintings I typically work from life in the early stages and then in the later stages I use a combination of working from life, photography (to maintain vibrancy when flowers have wilted), and creative imagination.
When I paint animals, I use photography as the starting point (wildlife subjects typically make terrible real life sitters!). I use my own photos and then adapt some of the other elements such as background, dimensions and lighting to create a stronger composition. Towards the end of the painting I am not using the photo reference very much but instead I am using knowledge of value, chroma, hue, texture, composition and soft/hard edges to create something that doesn’t just represent the animal, but says something more about them and works well as a painting.
How do you overcome creative blocks or challenges during your process?
This can be really tricky! Thankfully oil paints allow for a certain amount of trial and error. The main way to overcome a block is to keep doing SOMETHING. It can be easy just to stop and lose the confidence to keep going – even if you have been painting professionally for years. Sometimes that means working on a side project or going back to doing some drawing. The rhythm of creating something will eventually lead back to the painting at hand.
Working on something else can also give you the inspiration or knowledge to move your painting forward. Every painting I do teaches me something. You never stop learning so the main thing is to keep turning up at the easel and putting in the time rather than waiting for a magical strike of inspiration to hit. The solution to a problem always comes eventually but you have to draw it out yourself. That can mean working on another thing and so your original problem is seen through your (metaphorical) peripheral vision. Catching a problem ‘sideways on’ can often unlock the blockage!
That said, there are some paintings that just don’t make the cut and that’s also a lesson in itself. You can still learn from what doesn’t work.
Are there any rituals or habits you have while working on your art?
I listen to lots of podcasts! My mind is often racing and going off in a million directions at once so having a podcast playing through my earbuds keeps my mind in just the two places (listening to the podcast on the one hand but mainly focused on my painting). Interestingly, the only thing that focuses my mind entirely is drawing. I have to have complete silence when I am making a preparatory drawing.
I stand at my easel so I have recently been advised by a physio that I need to make time to do shoulder and back exercises so I don’t seize up after standing with one arm raised with a paintbrush for hours at a time. This is a ritual that I need to practise more!
How do you decide when a piece of art is finished?
When I think a work is finished I put it to one side on my drying shelf. Often when I glance at it by chance a day or two later in its new location I can tell if it needs something else or if it is finished. A few paintings get brought back to the easel at this point for minor tweaks or another glaze layer.
How has your creative process evolved over the years?
I think my creative process is always evolving. I believe you never stop learning and every painting I make teaches me something that I take into the next one.
I undertook some classical training in 2023 and this style of drawing and observation from life has made a huge difference to my practice. I did a certain amount of working from life before then but it was done in a more intuitive way.
Using the foundations of classical style drawing I have found much more confidence in drawing in general. Even when I draw in a faster, more intuitive way, the knowledge of the classical techniques gives me more confidence to achieve what I want.
I have also been studying human anatomy and the bone and muscle structure of the face. I have painted dog, cat and horse portraits to commission for several years but I am now in the process of developing my human portrait offering.
What part of the creative process do you find most satisfying?
There is a point about three quarters of the way through a painting when I get into a real rhythm and, if the foundations are good, this stage is definitely the most satisfying. Using layers of paint to move shadows and colours to create richness and depth, to hone not just a likeness, but discover the essence of the thing you are painting. This part of a painting is almost sublime when it is going well!
How do you balance planning and spontaneity in creating your art?
I am a planner by nature so ensuring that there is enough spontaneity in my work relies on creating conditions where I feel confident in taking risks. Spontaneity that results in something successful is harder to achieve when work is more realistic. That takes experience and confidence. I have learnt to recognise when I’m in the right zone mentally to take those risks successfully – and when I need to hold back and wait.
A lot of painting is not just in the technical knowledge (although that is a big part of it) but is also in the mind and the body. I find that keeping good mental and physical health often results in the ability to make better, more confident decisions about painting.
How do you manage the practical aspects of art making, like storage and studio space?
I am very fortunate to have a reasonable sized studio at home. For many years I didn’t have this and it did have an effect on what I felt able to do and the number of paintings I could work on.
When we moved into our cottage just over two years ago, I dedicated one room as my studio space. When we first arrived there were very old fashioned pelmets above each of the windows. I took these down, painted them white and have re-used them as drying shelves in my studio. They are only three inches wide and have a small lip so are perfect for the job! I currently have about 20 unframed paintings on these shelves around the studio, which makes managing work in progress and new work much easier.
My husband also adapted an old wardrobe into a special shelved storage unit for completed paintings, which has helped enormously!
Can you explain your research process when starting a new piece?
My process changes depending on the subject matter and the painting’s destination or client. There are three main strands to my work and each has a slightly different approach:
Personal work: I have some personal projects that are less commercial and result from ideas that I want to pursue for my own satisfaction and curiosity. These start from a concept, then some sketches from life, some composition thumbnails, then some photography for reference and, finally, a painting that incorporates all of the elements together.
Commission work: When I’m working on pet portrait commissions, there is a little less research because the client supplies photographs of their pets but I like to find out about the character of the animals so I can try to get that across in the finished painting. With human portraits, the research phase involves a sitting with the client to get to know them, some sketches, colour notes and photography before the final portrait is completed in my studio.
Much of my gallery work however – and probably the bulk of my artistic practice – draws inspiration from my life in rural Suffolk. This is an ongoing engagement and communication with life in the countryside and the rhythms of the seasons. I paint spring flowers and blossom when they are out, cottage garden flowers in high summer, and fruits and vegetables in the autumn. Birds feature too – and there is an abundance of birdlife in and around our garden. There is always something around me to inspire new work. Once I have the inspiration to work with, I need to find an interesting composition fairly quickly and try to get the foundations of the painting in place before the fruit or flowers wither.
How do you incorporate feedback into your creative process?
It’s a delicate balance between staying true to your own artistic vision and taking on requests from clients who commission work. Most feedback I get from these when work is finished is very positive (and often involves a good amount of crying – in a good way!). If someone asks for something that’s not within my artistic remit then I will generally refer them to another artist who may be a better fit for their brief.
Feedback from a mentor, a peer in the same or similar field of work, or a trusted gallery owner can be really valuable and this type of conversation has been really useful for me over the years. I try to be careful about who I turn to for feedback and in what context. I have benefitted from some great feedback over the years from people who have different areas of expertise.
I try to be careful with feedback from the general public on social media and sometimes even from family and friends. Most of these people aren’t generally working in the same field and very often they don’t represent your ideal client. Chasing ‘likes’ on social media isn’t going to result in the best work!
The important thing is not to follow what you think people want, but to find your own voice. I am vulnerable to being a people pleaser so I have to try to remind myself not to take on too many other suggestions and to stick to my own vision!
Who or what are your biggest artistic influences?
I studied Art History at university and for my MA so this is incredibly hard to pin down! I draw influence from throughout art history and in a range of subjects. Ultimately, I love ‘painterly’ paintings that capture an essence of a person or thing but that also have something else going on beyond the surface image.
These are my current art ‘crushes’
Historical – Diego Velazquez; Francico de Goya; John Singer-Sargent; Joaquin Sorolla; Kathe Kollwittz; Rachel Ruysch; Henri Fantin-Latour; Richard Schmid;
Contemporary – Jenny Saville, Ruth Fitton, Frances Bell, Zoey Frank, Benjamin Sullivan.
How do you find inspiration when it seems to elude you?
Throughout most of the year my inspiration comes to me as the seasons change but if I am feeling a bit stuck then go back to drawing. Drawing faces or still life subjects or going to untutored life drawing classes is a great way to find my way back in.
What drew you to paint flowers?
I feel a deep connection with flowers, particularly those that I have grown in my own garden. For me, painting flowers was a natural extension of my love of growing them.
I became interested in growing my own flowers about 18 years ago, at a time when I was very ill. Growing hundreds of seedlings in trays on my window sills when I couldn’t do much else gave me a sense of hope and, I believe, helped my recovery. From that time, I have been an avid gardener, which of course led me to want to paint the things I grew.
I paint most of my flower paintings from life in the studio, honing my observation skills and paying tribute to the wonderful array of shapes and colours on offer. I also sometimes work with my own photographic references and a good dose of imagination too.
Connecting with gardens, the countryside and the rhythms of the seasons is a major part of my work and I love the way that flowers can open the doors to our imaginations and evoke feelings.
Can you describe a moment of inspiration that led to a breakthrough in your work?
Studying classical drawing and painting techniques has really been the breakthrough in my work over the past year. It has marked a step change in my work not only in the way I paint, but also in the choices made about composition and colour. It also had an impact on the volume of work I have produced. I am by nature a slow painter and oil paint is a medium that requires time and patience, but I have found more emotional engagement in my work which seems to have made a difference to me.
Have you ever dramatically altered or discarded a piece of art you were unsatisfied with?
Many times! I have sanded several paintings back and started a completely new painting on top! Sometimes you realise the foundations were never strong enough (either in concept or composition) and nothing you do will make it a great painting. In those cases, it’s best just to discard it and start something else.
What next after this exhibition?
After this exhibition I will be busy with more commission work – especially pet portraits, which are always in demand in the months leading up to Christmas. I will be continuing to paint more flowers, fruits and vegetables as they ripen in the garden, desperately trying to paint as much as I can while the flowering and fruiting season lasts.
I have a joint exhibition with artist and friend, Edward Gentry, in Ipswich in October. I am also hoping to hold an open studio event in my studio in mid Suffolk in November.