Landscape Painting Ideas & Creative Insights

As I continue to paint with collage and incorporate garden birds into my work after several years of feathered absence, a familiar bird has made its way back to the easel. Its the starling, and in my last blog I shared my thoughts on the inspiration of starlings and some of the varied starling paintings I’ve done over the years. The latest starling painting was inspired by a previous work in soft pastels, a walk around a boggy, misty lake in a tiny Welsh village, and my sen

The starling keeps reappearing in my art, just like the birds themselves return like clockwork each winter on their migration. Over the years I’ve painted them many times, exploring different styles and techniques in my bird art, paintings and collage artwork. But I often wonder — what is it about these small birds that captures my imagination so strongly? Perhaps it’s their beauty, their movement, or the memories attached to them. Starlings have become one of the most recurr

The first month of a new year can often feel challenging as we settle back into our routines and deal with the cold winter months. Having decided as one of my 2026 art goals to do more work in the sketchbook, I found this habit to be very grounding. I had something to look forward to at the end of the day, and could make that sketchbook page a simple or as challenging as I was in the mood for. What I Explored This first month was very experimental. I decided that I didn’t wan

I’m not one for setting goals, or resolutions, or jumping on any trends just because it’s January. But this year, starting a new year with a lot of uncertainty around careers, homes and more, feels like a good time to ground myself in projects and passions. It’s what I always do when I can’t control things around me, I keep myself busy. So I thought I’d share with you my six art projects that I’m hoping to work on this year. These are by no means fixed, and I’m only holding a

Artists always foster relationships with landscapes that they love. Van Gogh in Arles, Monet in Giverny, John Constable in Suffolk. Now it feels as though Edinburgh is becoming that place for me. A place I keep returning to, that lingers on in my notebooks and sketchbooks.  But just as Monet painted his gardens or his haystacks in different conditions, so Edinburgh means something different to me every time I go. The first time I arrived in this majestic, gothic city I was gr

Fridge doors, tv unit, table mats, wardrobe, doors. Anywhere and everywhere there’s a flat surface there’s art in my house. And while mine is confined to our walls, my five year old son's is everywhere. And whilst I adore the splashes of colour and memories of his first forays into scribbling and drawing flags and endless cars, there’s an impracticality to having your child’s drawings all over the place . They get torn by doors being opened, bodies brushing past, they fade in

Collage combines unique materials and traditional techniques to create new ideas. It’s a form of art that is great for storytelling, using many different textures, images and symbols. In this blog, I share my list of practical tips, techniques and creative strategies for making collage artwork, from choosing your materials to using a blend of techniques. You’ll be able to make vibrant, expressive collage landscapes in no time! A History of Collage Art Collage art originated

Artworks in galleries, coffee shops, and homes look beautiful in custom frames or quirky thrift shop ones. However, they can also be very expensive. I'm here to share alternative ways to display works on paper in your home without the need for costly frames. Why Go Frameless? Displaying artwork without a frame can be cheaper, more convenient, and more fun. There are many ways to showcase a painting without framing, allowing the art itself to shine through. Remember to protect

Woodland painting is a beautiful way to connect with nature, whether you're deep in a mossy forest or on the edge of a shaded park, painting outdoors or plein air painting helps you capture the ever-changing light, textures, and mood of the natural world. In this guide, I'll cover the essential tools, techniques, and considerations I've learned by painting in the woods, so you can head outside confidently and creatively. Why Try Painting Outdoors? Painting under the trees is

The landscape has always been my source of refuge. It’s a place of comfort, clarity, far better at cleaning my mind than any therapy or self care ever could. I find a deep connection to places that I return to, year after year, like a migratory albatross returning to her mate. But the landscape has its extremes too, and nowhere has this been more apparent to me than in the valleys of Wales. The rugged Welsh landscape is bound by cycles of weather, microclimates, birth and des

Whenever I cross the border into Wales, I never know what I’ll find—rain one moment, golden skies the next. From seaside promenades to wild valleys and hidden mining towns, each trip feels like a new discovery. I always bring my sketchbook, capturing rolling green hills, bright harbour towns, and fleeting impressions before the landscape shifts again. Wales may be small, but it never runs out of surprises.

There’s something about walking in nature that untangles my thoughts, softens the edges of a hard day, and fills me with a quiet kind of wonder. As a painter, I often go out into the landscape looking for inspiration. Over time, I've realised I keep returning to the same places. Not because I’m short on ideas, but because these landscapes never stop offering something new. A different season, a change in light, a sudden silence in the air... each one is a new experience to b