To say I have felt a little lost since closing my studio (adjacent to Maldon High Street) last year to be at home whilst we are renovating the house would be quite an understatement. I have had my own studio space since 2006 so it has been strange not to have even a little place to work in. Yes I have had the garden and some really lovely weather over the Summer, which was very much like the outside space in Tenterfield Road, but once the weather changed and Winter set in, well I’ve had nowhere to go. Then in October 2019 I had my first visit to the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea – as a visitor which gave me mixed feelings. Although it was lovely to be able to see so many very friendly and familiar art fair family faces – I was a little sad not to be taking part having decided not to plan any events until our house has finished being renovated. November and December came and went – what would 2020 bring?

Over the Christmas break we watched Willem DaFoe as Vincent Van Gogh in At Eternity’s Gate – it’s an amazing performance and beautifully shot film of Vincent’s time in South of France in the last year of his life. His passion for painting outside and the beauty of nature really resonated with me. Of course I know of Van Gogh and his work, but to see the way he was depicted so happy out in the natural world and it being a place where he felt connected spoke to me – why not be more Van Gogh I mused? I was already used to working outside for the last two summers and am quite hardy after many winters spent working in unheated studio and gallery spaces, why not take that further? I can take my inspiration directly from my everyday experience? I am already out in all weathers with @GraysonJValentino and #JasperSpaniel walking through some beautiful countryside here in Maldon. I absolutely love it here. All I need is a sketchbook to start. What could possibly go wrong?