The nearest bit of natural landscape to my home is the Grand Union Canal which stretches from Birmingham to London. So far I am yet to get tired of drawing and painting it! As we live on the edge of town, the urban parts of the canal, with the interesting graffiti on the bridges, give way to the stretches of water in the rural areas, surrounded by fields. The long straight waterway creates dramatic perspective, whether you look down from the elevated position of a bridge, or from the towpath. The mostly flat path invites you to wander with no chance of losing your way!

The effects of sunlight on the canal at different times of year give me ample painting challenges. When the sun in high in summer there’s gorgeous dappled light on the canal banks. In autumn and winter, low sun throws dramatic gold or misty beams across the water.