Some of my happiest memories as an artist began with a campervan, a dog called Monty and the open road.
This photograph was taken during one of the many weekends and longer summer trips I spent exploring the Norfolk and Suffolk coastline in my beloved campervan, Uma. Those journeys became a way of life. Whenever I could escape the studio, we'd head east, following the coast from one beautiful location to the next, searching for new places to paint and new landscapes to discover.
The days settled into a wonderfully simple rhythm. I'd wake early with the sound of the sea nearby, make a coffee, walk Monty along an empty beach and then spend hours painting whatever had caught my eye. Sometimes it was the vast skies over the marshes, sometimes colourful fishing boats, weathered groynes or the endless movement of the waves. There would usually be a well-earned pub lunch somewhere along the way, perhaps another painting in the afternoon, and, if the weather was kind, a swim in the sea before the day drew to a close.
There was something incredibly liberating about living so simply. Everything I needed was in the van. My studio had no walls and no fixed address. Each day was dictated not by a schedule but by the tides, the weather and the quality of the light. If the evening promised a spectacular sunset, I'd stay put. If another harbour looked more inspiring the next morning, I'd simply drive there and begin again.
Monty was my constant companion throughout those adventures. He patiently accompanied me on countless walks, happily waited while I painted and reminded me to take breaks when I became too absorbed in my work. Looking back now, I can't separate those paintings from the memories of sharing them with him. He was part of every journey.
Those summers transformed my relationship with the sea. Before then I had admired coastal landscapes; afterwards I became fascinated by them. The ever-changing tides, shifting weather, reflections, breaking waves and huge East Anglian skies presented an endless source of inspiration. No two days were ever alike, and that constant change is exactly what continues to draw me back to marine painting.
In many ways, this period laid the foundations for much of the work I create today. My passion for painting the coast grew from these weekends spent wandering with sketchbook, easel and dog, and eventually led me towards becoming increasingly involved in marine art and, ultimately, exhibiting with the Royal Society of Marine Artists. Looking back, it's easy to see the thread connecting those carefree trips to where my artistic journey has taken me.
This photograph isn't simply about a campervan or a painting trip. It captures a chapter of life defined by freedom, curiosity and a desire to spend as much time outdoors as possible. It reminds me that some of the most important moments in an artist's life aren't planned—they emerge gradually, one painting, one beach, one conversation and one journey at a time.
Whenever I see this image, I'm transported back to those magical summers. The smell of salt air, the sound of waves outside the van, muddy paw prints on the floor, paintings drying in the evening light and the quiet satisfaction that comes from spending a day doing exactly what you love. Those memories continue to inspire every coastal painting I make.
26 June 2026
