I have been drawing since I was little and for many years worked solely with pencil – I had a love-hate relationship with paint, which looked like messy splodges when I applied it. I have managed to tame and shape those splodges over time and now particularly enjoy working with acrylic paint and watercolour. I live in Derbyshire with my two children and rescue greyhound and fit my painting around them and my job as a part-time English tutor. I have also had six children’s books published but have put aside the words so that I can focus on my art. I am inspired by my surroundings, by nature, animals and people. Colour and shape are important to me, but I also like my pictures to suggest a story, to pull the viewer in to another world.