‘Nature’ has always been an inspiration for me in all of its infinitely varied forms – anything encompassing landscape, its trees, plants, flowers and wildlife that all have their eclectic characteristics.

For a large amount of time, I have painted ‘en-plein-air’ (on site, outside, through the year in all weathers) experiencing and observing nature (one never stops learning in the face of nature and the effects of the climate crisis).

My work, in addition, deals with human and human creations and events through time alongside nature, all illuminated in differing light effects.

I love my ’slow drying’ oil paint! I have become enamoured with its endless qualities – its texture and vibrancy. Painting ‘en-plein-air’ has contributed immensely to my paint application – for instance: being pushed from getting too fiddly by a change of the weather… being pulled by textures of nature’s varied surfaces!

I normally prefer to paint direct from my chosen subject, but sometimes I work in the studio, using reference material in the form of sketches, drawings, props, photos, or memory.

After I have an idea for a painting, I’m chiefly concerned first with ‘scale’ (size and proportions of canvas or board). Then, I get to consider ‘composition’ through trial and error.

Following on from this, I think about how I’m going to use tone, colour intensity and texture whilst being absorbed in my chosen subject.

I have been trying to experiment more with paint in the hope that I can evolve my painting language further into being more individual and exciting.

Martin Bentham RWA (June 2025)