I love to walk the trails of our beautiful west coast, enjoying the forest, the seashore, the river bank, and the estuary. Away from man-made systems, nature’s order prevails in the ebb and flow of the tides, the curtains of moss, the colonies of fungus. In place of traffic’s hum I hear the wind’s sigh and the cry of the eagle. This is what inspires me, and what I strive to capture: a mood, an essence, and a sense of place. I start with a charcoal sketch and then lay in the bones of the idea with paint. This is followed by a lengthy period of experimentation with colour and brush stroke to evoke the feeling I experienced in that place. I use photos for reference, but I let the brush lead and ask the canvas what it wants.