Most of my watercololours are sketched outdoors, in all weather conditions. Wind, rain and mist are the norm when working with seascapes in Ireland. Atmospheric elements often help create a watercolour. Working outdoors, I have no time to think, ime just reacting to what I see in front of me. A lot of my time is taken up with trying to save the sheet of watercolour paper or my palette from been blown away. Its a lot like fishing, some days you can really strike it lucky, but most of the time you work, work, work and then see it all disolve in front of your eyes in a heavy rain shower.

I often work for days without any results, then suddenly one day it just all seems to come together. One can feel a certain flow, I start to really see and engage with the energy and sense of a place, it takes days of watching before the vision flows.

Plein air sketches I consider integral to my working process. They are the first studies I produce before I commence an oil painting.