I am drawn to the ordinary possessions of other people from past generations. Letters, notebooks, ribbons, keys – these all represent unknown lives and stories of their own. They speak to us and make a connection through time. My subjects have become worn through use and handling, whether a pair of shoes, a scratched spoon or a yellowed letter. Some might have been valued while others were barely noticed. All have made it to me. My work is both an appreciation of the objects as they are – their form, colour and patina – and also what they might represent to artist and viewer.

Natural elements appear in my compositions as a reminder of time. A butterfly is a beautiful but ephemeral creature. Life is short.

Draughtsmanship is central to my work and I always work from life. The realism I strive for is important.