The coastal villages of the Highlands provide me with all the colours, shapes and textures I need to make my paintings.

It begins by going out sketching, looking for material that might be useful, then back in my studio I try to combine elements that may work together compositionally to create paintings. I like to mix natural organic shapes and textures with geometric manmade things like boats and buildings.

The hills and sea, beaches and crofts, trees and birds, people and dogs are all part of the landscape.

The distinctive regional  characteristics are inspiring, for instance the inky blue water at Ullapool compared to the intense turquiose of the sea off the north coast (on a clear day!), or the open aspect of Gairloch compared to the nestling lochside villages of Wester Ross.

And when the seasons change it all changes, providing me with an endless  supply of colours, shapes and textures to play with.