In my own paintings I create a lot of texture and layering of colour and lines, so let's go on a little tour of my favourite crops and close-ups, and how I created the effects. Taking a closer look at them we can see how my favourite techniques can create a little magic. There are always interesting areas of a painting that deserve a closer look!

We often think we have no time to play as artists as we are so busy working on the project at hand. But I believe this thought comes from the pressure we put on ourselves as artists to succeed. We feel we need to prove ourselves in this incredibly difficult career choice, and we can lose sight of the whole reason we are doing what we do - because we love it!

People are genuinely curious about how artists work behind the scenes. It seems to be such a mysterious occupation as we are mostly tucked away in our studios creating works of art away from the public eye. Over the years I have found many common questions that people ask, and I have encountered these at Art Fairs, Open Studios, Gallery Private Views, and even at workshops I teach.

Last month I set myself a challenge. I needed to get reconnected to my playful creative self to move forward with some ideas. I received...