Oil on Board | 8 x 6 inches ‘In this, I was painting directly from life in a holiday cottage on the Scottish borders. I didn’t do any subsequent work on it once it had dried; sometimes I think that it is nice to leave things understated.’

Oil on Board | 6 x 8 inches ‘I painted this from the window of our holiday cottage in Crail. I was mindful to keep the looseness of the brushstroke that I had when painting plein air, while finishing it in the studio.’

Oil on Board | 7 x 5 inches ‘What a face! His sunken cheek as he draws on his pipe was really great to paint.’

Oil on Board | 5 x 7 inches ‘I love painting on massive canvases for weeks on end, but I equally enjoy smaller paintings. Each brushstroke counts and I find that it is usually easier to create an atmosphere.’

Oil on Canvas | 36 x 48 inches ‘I was really eager to paint this particularly because of the smile on the older gentleman’s face. This is the largest painting I have undertaken for nearly ten years and the subject was perfect for a big canvas. For almost two months, I worked daily for at