Why I Paint Nature-Inspired Abstract Art

I've been thinking a lot recently about why I paint - and why I paint what I do... I've even been discussing it with a few friends...

The main theme behind it all seems to be that sometimes I just need to escape from life for a bit when it gets too messy... 

And while it would be lovely to run away and live on a canalboat, or in a remote cottage in Scotland, these aren't really options for me right now 😄

The place where everything slows down

So I escape to nature instead. I love to go camping, where life feels simpler. One of my favourite holidays was hiking the 74 miles along the Great Glen Way - just walking in gorgeous Scottish scenery all day every day was heaven. 

But it doesn't have to be a holiday - just let me head along a canal path or a woodland walk for a while, or even just sit by a patch of flowers in a garden, and I’m happier already.

There’s something about being outside that changes the pace of everything. My breathing slows down, my shoulders relax, and all the noise in my head quietens down a bit. I notice the little things like colours and textures.

Nature is where I keep going back to when life feels heavy or overwhelming. It’s where I remember that beauty still exists, that the world isn’t only made up of bad news and busy schedules.

And painting is the closest I get to that feeling outside of nature.

Turning those moments into paint

When I paint, I’m not trying to copy a specific flower or landscape. Instead, what I’m trying to capture is the feeling of being out in nature.

The calmness that comes over me - the feeling that I can breathe again - that's what I feel when I'm painting and what I'm trying to capture in my paintings.

That’s why they take so long... I add layers, then more layers. Sometimes I cover most (or all) of it up again. Then I scrape bits back to reveal parts of what's underneath.

It’s an intuitive process rather than a planned one. I usually have no idea where a painting is going when I start. I just keep responding to what’s already on the canvas until the whole thing begins to settle into something that feels right.

Why abstract art?

I know that abstract art can sometimes feel confusing to people at first. If there isn’t a clear subject, what are you supposed to look at?

But that’s actually the thing I love most about it. When a painting isn’t telling you exactly what it is, it gives you space to experience it in your own way.

Abstract art gives you the chance to bring your own memories and emotions to the piece. In that sense, the painting becomes less about what it represents and more about how it makes you feel.

And for me, that feeling is the most important part.

A small refuge on the wall

In the same way nature and painting are my escape, I hope that the paintings I create become refuges for others to escape into too.

The world can feel quite harsh sometimes. We’re surrounded by constant information, busy-ness and noise. There's so much bad news in our feeds, responsibilities keep piling up, and our attention is pulled in a hundred different directions.

Because of that, I think our homes have become more important than ever.

Our home isn't just a place we pass through between work and everything else. It's where we try to rest, reset and feel like ourselves again - our sanctuary from the outside world. And I love the idea that my art could contribute to that.

A painting can change the atmosphere of a room in a surprisingly subtle way. Without necessarily being loud, the colours, textures and depth all affect how a space feels.

My hope is that my paintings act a bit like a visual breathing space for you. Somewhere you can get a little lost in and be reminded that beauty and gentleness still exist.

They're basically small attempts to hold onto those fleeting moments of calm we experience in nature - the moments where everything feels lighter and a little bit more hopeful again.

If someone hangs one of my paintings in their home and it gives them that feeling, even briefly, then it’s done its job.

And that’s why I paint what I paint 😊

If you think my nature-inspired paintings are just what you need, and you'd like to see new work as I release it, join me on my Early Access List, where you get first dibs in a quieter corner of the internet...