Art has always been a part of my life whether actually painting or drawing as often as possible to teachers despairing at my illustrated margins in my jotters! I enjoyed studying for my HNC in Art and design at the Borders College in 2000 and from then on began to take my art more seriously. In 2014-16 I joined Leith School of Art to undertake the painting course which I felt moved me on in terms of my confidence. I found a love for painting derelict buildings during this time and concentrated on developing my own style of representing them. The quality of light entering these buildings highlighting here and there parts of the timbers and articles perhaps left inside captured my imagination. It opened up the wider themes of mans’ footprint on the earth, how mountains, fields and valleys, sun sea and stars remain while man can come and go. A once busy farm can lie waste and its stones and timbers return to the ground. In the winter of 2019/20 I enjoyed the portfolio course a Bridge House Art in Ullapool. It was the time, and encouragement I needed to concentrate on my practice in order to become a full time artist. I find painting in acrylic on canvas board, usually with a stubby, dry brush onto a more abstract background I have created, a good way to achieve the result I am looking for. My pallet changes depending on the building, the light I have seen in it along with the colours and tones of the materials it is made of and any articles left behind. For me there is always the challenge to move my work forward, to be willing to continually see where my work will take me. In 2022/23 I undertook a Professional Development Course at Paintbox Art School, Cockenzie, East Lothian. This helped with the other aspects of being an artist, the admin, social media, photographing work, setting up an exhibition to name but some. In many ways it is just up to me now to put the work in and continue to push on in developing my own practice.