I cannot say this is how I do it from A to Z, step by step.

Why? Because each subject determines what is needed; whether it's an expansive landscape or a single flower. I have become used to using pastels and explored the many ways to to apply it, and the great variety of surfaces on which to work on. I now find myself drawn to oils, which is a whole new ball game. I always learn as I am physically drawing or painting. I do not read about it first and then have a go; I just do it and see what happens.

Colour is a large part of my work and I am definitely drawn to colours depending on my frame of mind at the time.

My day usually starts reluctantly with trying to prise myself out of my bed. I have never been an early riser, always a night owl. So once I’m up, I take my kids to school then drive on to my studio in Leeds. I have recently moved my work out of the house and into a small purpose-built studio space where there are other artists. It’s smaller than my studio at home, has no chair and no heat until I arrive! Why have I done this? Well, because there are no distractions, no email, phone, facebook, comfy seat or twitter to distract me from my painting.

		So now I paint uninterrupted for between 5-6 hours, four days a week. One day a week I do stay at home for meetings and to beat back the relentless email mountain. It is important to paint for longer periods as often it is not until the third or fourth hour that I get anywhere. I tend to paint either in oils or pastels, flitting between the two. I have many things unfinished all the time as usually I get to a point when I just have to look at a piece for often months, in order to work out what to do next. I now use the computer sometimes as a tool to solve problems of composition and also colour, which often sparks off other ideas. I take a digital shot most days of a painting so that I can see how it is evolving. Then I race either to my picture framers, or for food, or to see to a myriad of things that the kids need, and then go home. Every day is busy, I am never bored and could always do with more time.