Isn’t it cool how we have a connection with ancestors from centuries before us? People from thousands of years ago marked their time here with things we can still touch to this day: handprints on cave walls, stone temples to their Gods. We love to try and make sense of these traces and tell stories about the people who were here before us.

At the beginning of 2020 (remember that time? It feels like about 10 years ago doesn't it!), I started working predominantly on wood panels instead of paper. One of the main reasons is that you can scratch back through the layers of paint to discover treasures from earlier layers. I love the distressed texture this achieves. Here are some of my favourite scratching implements. I especially love the brush on the left. It's made with curly wires! I don't know what it's intended to be used for! Any idea? I use a household nail quite a lot too, and the row of spikes is actually an onion holder (who knew such a thing existed!), though it's never seen a hint of an onion! The heavy artillery, which isn't pictured, is my orbital sander for when things get serious 😂

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.