Sue Howells

Born in Birmingham,now resident in Ironbridge.

I don’t usually plan my paintings in advance. Staring with a loose wash, I let one brushstroke lead to another, always looking for the perfect composition, cropping along the way to get the right balance. The enjoyment of using pure watercolour is important to me, exploiting the effect of this elusive medium, letting the beauty of the paper shine through. I like to keep the plains simply working with a full brush of paint, economizing on detail, knowing that one bad stroke and all is lost, as pure watercolour cannot be repaired or repainted. I try to avoid opaque paint, only using when necessary. At heart I am a traditionalist, letting the medium speak for itself. If one starts to tidy up spontaneity is lost.

I am inspired by the works of John Piper and 20th Century watercolorists and now having moved to Shropshire, I am much inspired by the beautiful landscapes.