I work from watercolor and pencil sketches done whilst exploring cities and nature. They are sometimes quite simple, but if they capture the mood of the moment, they can be used again and again–each time developing a new aspect of the scene. I have made hundreds of them, en plein air, in cafes observing people, in concert halls. I draw inspiration from my immediate surroundings, in London, but also the vineyards and hills of Tuscany where I often travel. In the studio I am very methodical, often working on a painting for months at a time, changing it radically. My intent is to capture the very essence of the subject, be it a landscape, an object, or a person.