3 Gulls, Many Boats and a Castle. 100x100cm mixed media on canvas 2022

This favourite began as something completely different until, in a sudden, impulsive moment, I covered it with white paint using a kitchen spatula. It’s amazing what appears when you stop thinking and just act.
I spent a lot of time in South Devon when I was young — sailing, partying, and generally behaving disgracefully — so when the river, boats and that distant castle started to appear, it felt strangely familiar. The central gull came first; everything else followed naturally.
I chose not to overwork it. The charcoal, scribbles, spatula marks and loose boats all carry that raw spontaneity I didn’t want to lose. Scale and perspective don’t matter here; it’s simply an abstract impression of familiarity.