I was told I was talented when I applied to Falmouth School of Art and that I should consider skipping the course and proceeding directly to degree level.

I apply paint directly from the tube and with my fingers.

I really enjoy squeezing out a big lump of paint directly onto the canvas and leaving it; fresh, immediate and sometimes shocking.

I want to paint big, bright, optimistic pictures of the place I love.

It's a terrible thing wishing that it can be someone else's tragedy.

The majority of my work is from life. I spend most fine days from May to October painting outside.

I realised that if I did what I wanted to do, it would work.