After a period of creative block, I found my way back into rhythm through a painting inspired by the foggy clearing and jagged snags of Drumguish. This piece became a way to reflect on texture, atmosphere, and the quiet power of overlooked forms, weaving together my personal experiences and research into the natural world.

A reflection on my first one-to-one with my research supervisor, the freedom to explore my ideas, and trying to keep momentum going with writing and art over summer.

A day trip to the Garden Futures exhibition at the V&A Dundee becomes a reflection on gardens as spaces of sanctuary, memory and inspiration. In this post, I explore how gardening is woven into both personal and creative life, and how reconnecting with nature, and time spent with loved ones, quietly feeds artistic practice.

After learning about the idea that doing something for 21 days can help build a habit, I started carving out space each day for my creative practice. What began as quick sketches has become a way to reconnect, refocus, and move through a creative rut with more intention and compassion.

While visiting Amsterdam, I had the chance to experience Where Have All the Flowers Gone, a powerful dual-venue exhibition of Anselm Kiefer’s work. This post reflects on the impact of seeing his monumental canvases in person, the influence of Van Gogh, and how it all connects back to my own artistic practice.

As my first academic year draws to a close, I reflect on how far I've come - from overcoming fears of being perceived to reimagining how I make space for my practice. This post explores the shifts in mindset, energy, and medium that are helping me find momentum again.

Translating Kees Stoop: Leven en Werk from Dutch to English as I read added depth to an already intimate portrait of the artist. More than a biography, the book reveals the quiet power of Stoop’s simplified landscapes and poetic approach to art.

In this piece, I reflect on how writing has become an integral part of my art practice - providing a place to process thoughts, capture fleeting ideas, and rediscover a quieter kind of creative strength. From the corner of my guest bedroom to notes written on the go, writing has helped me find rhythm, voice, and a way to listen more closely to what my art is really trying to say.

A reflective essay exploring the quiet sanctuary of wild landscapes and the enduring connection between the human body and trees. Through personal memories of the Cairngorms, late diagnoses of autism and scoliosis, and evolving ink-based art practice, this piece contemplates belonging, embodiment, and the stories carried in both bark and bone.

In March 2025, I exhibited three ink paintings in the CSM Interim Show Perhaps We Should Reconsider. This blog reflects on that surreal and affirming first exhibition experience - sharing thoughts on the works shown, the installation process, and the joy of finally meeting my course mates in person.

In this blog post, I reflect on Belonging by Amanda Thomson and its deep exploration of memory, place, and identity. Through my personal connection to the themes of the book, I explore how raw landscapes strip away labels, offering space for deeper self-discovery and emotional resonance that informs my artistic practice.

Discover a rare glimpse into art history through my visit to Dürer to Van Dyck: Drawings From Chatsworth House exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy, housed within the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh. Featuring pieces by Dürer, Van Dyck, Rubens, and Rembrandt, this captivating display not only unveiled historical techniques but also inspired me to explore new creative approaches in my own work.

These 1-2-1 tutorials always feel like a valuable pause - moments to recalibrate and refocus my direction of study. This second session reaffirmed that I’m on the right track, while also opening up new avenues for experimentation. We explored the role of negative space in my work, the idea of balance in Chinese Brush Painting, and how translation - of memory, place, and emotional resonance - continues to shape my practice. I left the tutorial with a renewed sense of confidence and excitement, eager to push my work further, both in scale and concept.

Repurposing discarded office frames as canvases led to Understory, a piece exploring memory, balance, and belonging. Using my new Chinese painting set, I experimented with ink grinding, layering, and the interaction between paint and space. Inspired by the forests of Loch Tay and the concept of the understory, this work reflects on the haziness of memory and the unseen layers that shape our connection to place.

In my study statement, I outline my exploration of themes such as memory, belonging, and isolation through ink painting. Using techniques like layering and shadow effects, I aim to evoke emotional connections to landscapes and the collective consciousness tied to places. This study will incorporate the concepts of cianalas, place attachment theory, and collective memory, creating a body of work that invites viewers to reflect on the nature of both personal and collective experiences.

Visiting the Women in Revolt! exhibition in Edinburgh left me reflecting on the role of art in activism. This powerful collection of works from the 1970s to 1990s highlights how artists used their personal experiences to address social and political change in the UK.

In this article, I reflect on how Maggie Cross' The Art of Chinese Brush Painting has inspired new directions in my artistic journey. From experimenting with unconventional ink techniques to rediscovering the connection between calligraphy and brush painting, I explore how these traditional methods are shaping my approach to creating art.

Scaling Up #1 is my first attempt at translating my detailed style into a larger composition. This experimental sketch taught me to embrace imperfections, overcome creative hurdles, and find unexpected freedom in the challenges of working on a new scale.

I recently visited Fragile Beauty at the V&A, an exhibition curated from Elton John and David Furnish’s photography collection. The deeply moving images explored themes of fame, resilience, and vulnerability, leaving me inspired and emotionally stirred.