i had a micro business for 10 years providing construction estimating and quantities, through burnout and mental health issues the lockdown came as a gift for me.

After the lockdown i embarked on learning mindfulness through the mindfulness association and Aberdeen University for a year and then training with I Heart Principles to coach mental resilience : my thoughts were to learn whats going on with me whilst be able to help others.

Through this training i realised something deeper within me and wanted to paint and create a life painting. However nature and mindfulness was still a force within me , i just did not know how to place it in my life.

I have a condition called “Aphantasia” which i cannot visualise nor have access to other imagined senses which affects my auto biographical memory alongside on the spectrum Autism. Photographs have always been a part of my life , even before i knew about my condition but it was un-focussed and somewhat haphazard.

I had been taking photographs of nature prior to Northumberland which were to help regulate my mental health , connection to nature and joy of nature. My photographs were kept private until i joined Blue Sky in October 2024.

Kielder Forest defined more of my focus with my paintings , nature photographs and work with my diary and physical mindfulness and mental resilience walks in Kielder forest , my new home.

Kielder Forest has transformed my life , my art , my mindfulness practice what i want from life. I am building layers of art and nature.

In 2021 after i completed my mindfulness course i began a Youtube where i was interested in how nature had transformed their lives but due to personal events did not continue. I have ideas for to re-create this plus just showing how nature is transformative and worth protecting.

My diary is creating an authentic self and voice into the world and is rooted in following nature throughout it seasons and months to generate a true feeling of a natural place whilst writing about mindfulness and mental resilience in an disarming and personal way to show its a human shared condition to struggle in life.

I believe in sharing our thoughts and experiences helps other people see that they are not alone and there is always hope

I have my own photographic projects which help my neuro-divergent mind plus my passion for woodland and other natural settings mainly concentrating on the flow of time through plants , trees , some landscape and fungus.

My belief is that un-edited , straight from the camera , simple and grounded images represent the truth of nature whilst being able to be creative within that framework.

I feel that Instagram Wow images, although are amazing, become disappointing when you actually experience it yourself as nature feels so more real , messy and healing when your in it.

I am a supporter of nature being a place of healing , awe and undescribable beauty but i also feel that nature should not be treated as a commodity for our needs that it should be a relationship of reciprocity.