Original Landscape Paintings

All my paintings are original. They're not copies of anything – photographs, other artist's paintings, or my own!

What does original mean?

These landscapes are made by me, using paint brushes and paint on canvas, board or paper. Each one is created entirely from a blank canvas. I don't simply copy what I've done a dozen times before, maybe tweaking a few colours.

The word 'Original' means more than 'not fake' and 'not manufactured'. It means: 'original idea, or way of doing something'. When art is described as original, it usually means you won't see something similar elsewhere.

My art is original when considered against all of these definitions.

An observational artist

When I'm outside in the landscape, I do try to capture what I see. I try to record the scene accurately, though not exactly, because I tweak things while making the art.

I'm never aiming to make something so precise that it looks like a photograph. I personally don't see the point of doing that. It's not a judgement on those who do of course. We're all individual.

We're not cameras. We don't see landscape in the way a camera lens does. This is why I don't try to copy exactly what's there.

In the early stages of my studio paintings (the collection above) I make careful sketches and some plein-air paintings while infront of the landscape I intend to paint. I look at the scene in an intense way – an analytical way – and try to understand it rather than blindly copy it. This is what's called 'observational' art.

I'm classically trained, so intensely studying my subject is an engrained discipline, and firmly part of my process. My other collections (below) contain a lot of 'observed' paintings.

All of my art is based on acute observation of landscape. It's not made-up fantasy landscapes I paint, and they're obviously not abstract either.

Artistic license

It's when I'm in my studio that I start meddling. By meddling, I mean I apply something called 'artistic license', and I apply lots of it too.

Even though I meddle with the art (moving, shrinking, enlarging, or leaving out things), I still want it to be recognisable. That sounds contradictory? It's why I like the challenge!

This is when my own ideas, and unique way of drawing and painting, ends up shaping the art. It's why once you've seen a few of my pieces, you'll be able to recognise my art wherever you see it – because it's original to me.