You paint wonderful paintings of views through the dunes out to sea. What draws you to paint that particular subject?

I think deep down being amongst sand dunes reminds me of holidays and the summer, but I think there is a peace and solitude there which I’ve tried to capture. I do try to evoke memories and feelings that people associate with the beach, I’m often suprised how deep these associations go for some people. The choice of looser paintwork and ‘impressionistic handling’ are an aid to that, too much detail leads to a static feel.

Tell us a bit more about your journey to becoming an artist. Where did you study art?

I studied art in Norwich, Southend and Cambridge, but what got me started was seeing ‘Mr and Mrs Clarke and Percy’ by David Hockney at what is now Tate Britain. I was 20 and realised it is possible to be a painter for a living.

Describe in a nutshell the structure of your day.

I go to my studio most days by 10 and spend all day there. That is except if I go to the beach to do drawings and studies which I then work from in the studio. I make a version or enhanced painting using a number of sources to get the finished picture.

Do you have a favourite season?

Well the pictures focus mainly on summer but I like spring and autumn for the change of light that happens, often on days there’s a certain feel to the air but then it’s the change that reaffirms the real focus of the paintings.

Do you have a studio or a particular place you like to work?

I actually have two at the moment as I recently completed a series of paintings for a ferry servicing the Isle of Man where I lived for a while, the other is in the centre of Norwich. I make my paintings mostly about the East Coast.

Do you have a favourite place in Suffolk?

Walberswick has been my favourite since art school days, Dunwich is another. I’ve long had a desire to paint Orford Castle (after the Henry Bright painting) but it would be a big undertaking.

If you could offer one piece of advice to a young artist now, what would it be?

Paint what you love, there is a market for virtually any subject and style.

Which artist has inspired you in your life?

David Hockney is an inspiration because he has a love of life and a positivity which always comes across in his work. His story and his route to fame have always been interesting.

How do you define success as an artist?

Personally, I think it’s communicating with others, finding a way of making pictures that evoke feelings and responses in others.

What do you enjoy most about being an artist?

Probably making something and being able to use paints to conjure an image. Self expression is in there somewhere too…