I'm lucky enough to live a stones throw from some beautiful woodland and the inspiration for my artwork so often comes from the time I spend roaming the woods.
My latest painting: "Friends of the Woods" is no exception. It's inspiration comes from my very favourite spot in the woods where I often go to meet my woodland friends.
The first friend I met in this spot was this lovely robin... who as you can see is quite the poser :-)
There's a certain tree where the birds tend to congregate and if you get to there at the right time you can see an amazing array of British birds such as nuthatches, bluetits, great tits, chaffinches, wrens and so many more, particularly if you arrive with a bag of seeds. Even the squirrels are rather tame when you arrive with nuts in hand.
More often than not the best encounters I've had with the wildlife here has been when I'm having a bad day. Its as though my friends come to see me and to lift my heart once again. I walk into the woods downcast but by the time I leave I have a spring in my step again. Connecting with the local wildlife always lifts my spirits and I'd encourage everyone to spend a little time in nature every day. There's so much we can learn from nature and wildlife and these wonderful creatures not only remind me to keep going but they help me to keep going. They encourage me that there is light at the end of the tunnel and lift my heart once again.
And so when I was blessed with this wonderful piece of oak I knew that I would paint a piece of art in honour of my "Friends of the Woods".