in Gravesend, Kent, years ago, just as the Romans were leaving Britain, having realised the weather was crap and there was no decent wine.

The Thames Estuary, sea, marshes and rivers are constantly recurring themes and, as a young schoolboy, I often bunked off school to spend the day on the marshes sketching, repeated later as an art student, often in the depths of winter painting in the cold when the colours were a palette of muted greys. and my fingers could hardly hold the brushes. I used to cycle to the marshes with hardboard, on the side of my bicycle, no student could afford a canvas then; one particular board, which featured in my final year show was used by my father to stop a garage leak.

Much of my work is based on memories, sketches, watercolour notes and photographs inspired by my experiences. Later, involved in advertising, I continued to paint and exhibit my work. After leaving, I taught art part time. 10 years ago I revisited the potential of the etching process as I felt that aquatint was a suitable medium to explore the moods of the marshes and sea. Studied architecture at Gravesend Technical College. Studied fine art at Gravesend College of Art.