Studio Notes No.1 The Cornwall That Exists Beyond the coastline

There is a Cornwall that most people know. It is found in guidebooks and postcards, with dramatic cliffs, fishing harbours and sweeping sandy beaches. It is undeniably beautiful, but it is not the Cornwall I return to again and again with my sketchbook.

The landscapes that inspire my paintings are the ones along ancient Cornish hedgerows, across the open moorland of Bodmin Moor, beneath twisted hawthorn trees and beside streams where Kingfishers and Dippers can be spotted. These are places that change with the seasons, the weather and the quality of the light.

As a wildlife artist living in Cornwall, I have come to appreciate these overlooked places as much as the wildlife itself. A wren darting through the brambles, the curve of a fern uncurling in early summer, the muted colours of weathered stone covered in lichen, or the haunting call of a Buzzard drifting across the moor can become the beginning of a painting.

Many of my ideas begin long before I ever lift a brush. I spend time walking, observing and making notes, often returning to the same places throughout the year. Rather than searching for spectacular moments, I look for more secretive ones. Perhaps the first flush of spring leaves, seed heads catching low autumn light, rain coming in over Bodmin Moor or the rich tapestry of mosses and lichens that transform an old Cornish hedge into a miniature landscape.

Back in the studio, these observations become the foundation of my work. I paint in oils using multiple transparent glazes, gradually building depth, atmosphere and light over many weeks. The finished painting is rarely a direct copy of a single scene. Instead, it becomes a gathering of memories, field sketches and careful observation, allowing me to create imagined landscapes that feel deeply rooted in the character of Cornwall.

British wildlife has evolved alongside these landscapes for centuries. The hedgerows provide shelter for wrens, robins and harvest mice. The moorland offers space for curlews and wheatears. Rivers and wooded valleys become home to kingfishers, dippers and otters. These animals are not separate from the landscape; they belong to it, and my paintings aim to celebrate that connection. It is also my aim to help us cherish this fast-depleting nature. To ask the farmers to pause before they cut the precious hedgerows back in the summer, destroying this precious environment that offers shelter and food for animals and birds throughout the winter.

I hope that when someone brings one of my original wildlife paintings into their home, they are bringing more than an image of a bird or animal. I hope they are bringing with it a sense of Cornwall, the stillness of an early morning on Bodmin Moor, the scent of damp earth after rain, the intricate textures of ancient hedgerows and the beauty that exists beyond Cornwall's better-known landmarks.

This journal is where I will share those discoveries. Future Studio Notes will follow the changing seasons, new paintings taking shape in the studio, the wildlife that captures my attention and the places that continue to inspire my work. My hope is that these notes offer a glimpse into the landscape behind each painting and the slower rhythm of making art inspired by the natural world.

Thank you for joining me on the journey. I hope you'll return as the seasons change and the collection continues to grow.