The first time I was called "The Monet Of Wharfedale" was after my impressionistic paintings were admired by a fellow villager 12 years ago and the name has stuck.

Ever since I was a child I have been able to draw and paint and I remember how good I felt when my classmates admired my drawings and how enthusiastic I was about art.

Then when I was fourteen I developed epilepsy and was put on strong medication which had a sort of dulling effect and the enthusiasm went. I was still able to draw and paint, but only did so during art lessons or, after I left school, as a means only of making some money during long periods of unemployment.

In 1997 I moved to West Yorkshire and after a few years, in March 2003, my doctor made an appointment for me to see a specialist. I reluctantly turned up at the appointment and after a short chat with the specialist he wrote me a prescription for a much milder type of medication and at a lower dosage.

In April 2003 after the old medication had washed out of my body and the new type had taken over I woke up one morning and an explosion went off in my head! It was like an epiphany and it felt like a veil had been lifted. I could see things a lot clearer and all I wanted to do was paint and study everything about Impressionism. I call it "the awakening". I gave up my job and took on a whole new way of life and even though I still suffer from epilepsy the dulling sensation has gone.

The passion and hunger are still alive today although a bit more under control! And that is basically how I started doing what I do. But this all happened when I was in my forties and I often think of all the time that was wasted, but I am also often told that it was fate that it happened when it did!

I regularly hold one man exhibitions in Burley in Wharfedale.I will let you know when my next exhibition is after thr current crisis has died down.
I paint on board and standard canvases unless otherwise stated or requested.