One interesting thing is that I have synaesthesia and ironically in spite of not being able to enjoy music at all (due to my deafness) I am able to 'hear' things that I see in the form of noises in my head. This could be towering cloudscapes, moving objects, repeating objects such as lights on runways and so on, although I do not 'hear' colours. It was only recently that I realized this was unusual and a synaesthesia expert visited me and confirmed that I had this condition. It was most surprising because I assumed everyone was the same so I did not talk about it until I saw a television programme about synaesthesia. I cannot imagine art without being able to 'hear' composition and scenes - I visualize these in my mind before commencing any painting and know how a painting will 'sound' before I finish. Another interesting thing is that I know if any painting or other work of art (famous or not) is good or bad by what I 'hear' in spite of what other people claim!

Despite always having a great interest in art it was not until 2003 that I was able to have a gallery and devote myself to art full-time. I previously worked in laboratories as an assistant microbiologist doing many varied experiments. Then I worked for some years in a model-making company right next to Heathrow airport, directly under the flight path with aircraft constantly taking off and landing. I remember breaking down on the third lane of the infamous M25 motorway in my Mini with Lorries and Mercedes thundering past me. And all I wanted to do was paint! So I moved to Lyme Regis with my family and in order to survive in this beautiful area with few job opportunities I set up a one-man model-making business, painting in the little spare time I had. Then came the gallery and the rest is history.....