Hawthorn Blossom Tilshead

'I particularly love to paint ‘en plein air’, in the landscape; painting predominantly with oils on gesso primed wood-panels or canvas. Working in this spontaneous manner, there isn’t time to consider things in a conscious way – it is an instinctive way of painting, reacting spontaneously to the changing weather and light. It can be very surprising how things turn out.

Someone said to me “It isn’t so much what is painted but how it is painted which is important” and that is very true. Paradoxically, painting en plein air, although it can be considered a relaxation activity, in truth often takes huge concentration and effort. But I think something of the struggle can be subliminally revealed in the finished painting that can even add to the work’s strength.' - Andrew Taylor