Frog and beetle on recycled wood Painting

I live in Ross on Wye, Herefordshire where I have a studio in which I paint and hold workshops on classical portraiture and still life. My portraits are painted in oils using traditional glaze and impasto techniques. My still life differ as I often add an element of wit and trompe l'oiel. My work is atmospheric, using darks and lights to create mood and character and my influences are many. Thomas Eakins, Sargent, Hopper, Freud and Hockney are particular artists whose work intrigues me. Although my work is quite realist at first glance my paintwork is varied in stroke and thickness. I work from both life and photographs taken by myself, as I prefer to own the idea.