I am particularly interested in the infamous Highland Clearances. Throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries crofters were forced from their crofts by Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland.
The land use was changed to sheep-farming, which was considered to be more profitable than crofter's rents. Remains of these crofts can be seen throughout Sutherland, particularly at Strathdonan, Strathnaver and at Rossal in particular, where the remains of crofts can be seen by visitors to the site of the settlement.
Most of my paintings are of the landscape in this area, and of remains of the settlement at Dunbeath and the clifftop settlement at Badbay where the unfortunate crofters were sent to fend for themselves, despite having no knowledge of survival in such an inhospitable place. Mothers had to tether their young children to rocks to prevent them falling over the edge.
I am also working on a series of irises, developing paintings which are more textured and expressive through the use of palette knives and more heavily- applied paint.