Thorough out the season I go out into the landscape to draw or paint in watercolour. I venture out either to my favourite fields that lie close to my home or down to the creek, these excursions are essential to my practise in that they help to get the subject matter very firmly into my bones , the joy of being outdoors combined with the silence of being in nature also plays a part in the greater understanding of "out there ".... These trips are of vital importance as in order to really "see" an observational drawing is one sure way to test one's seeing power ... Coming back home with my rather large painting bag , sometimes heavy hearted a bit like an unhappy fisherman , the fish got away ...but sometimes a good catch ! .. These small works get put away , I don't refer to them for my studio work but they have served a very important role ....