“I wanted to go out to Belgium with an open mind, eyes and heart with the aim to switch off a little and to allow some time to daydream. To be inspired or generating a single idea would be a bonus. The fresh air, and being outside made the trip special, that coupled with time spent detuning and unwinding together whilst sharing stories in a new environment. We shared our ‘origin’ stories so to speak, how we came to be artists and where we are currently at in our career, alongside sharing a few techniques on how we make our work, materials and the creative process. Armed with a few new tips from my friends, I’ve recently put together a small set of paintings on paper. It feels nice that a conversation has had such a direct impact upon my practice.

Travel is always positive towards making and thinking and I always feel a little more enlightened after a trip away, which always surprises me still. Having that gear change, being challenged or being put into a new environment makes you think and reflect. You stop being a passive observer and become hyperaware to how different cultures understand, communicate and interpret the stuff around us.

I think most art is autobiographical to some extent and ‘Loose Ends 42’, the artwork I created for this print, is a direct interpretation of this experience. It is inspired by our time in The Ardennes. the soft ripples from the water in the pool, the rustling of the forest leaves in our garden and the knock of a woodpecker in the trees become embodied by familiar motifs that I use in my work.”