The sketchbook is where I want to keep the things that happen before a painting begins — a particular quality of light, an interesting shape, a colour combination, or simply a place that makes me stop and look.
It won’t always be polished. That’s rather the point. This is a space for noticing.
The beginning of something new
I’ve started preparing the next work in the studio. At this stage there is very little to see — just fresh boards, brushes, light and the first quiet decisions about what might come next.
I like this part of the process. Before a painting has a name or a clear direction, there is simply a blank surface and the possibility of where it might lead.
The light of Northumberland
In July I spent some time on Lindisfarne. The light seemed to change constantly — sometimes silver and quiet, sometimes bright against the water, with huge skies stretching across the horizon.
I took these photographs simply because I wanted to remember how the place felt. Perhaps one of them will eventually become a painting.
