My wildlife art is about that moment when you catch a glimpse of an elusive whale or monkey and suddenly it looks all the more stunning as it is seen in its natural environment.

The sparkling sunlight bouncing off the waves, the colours of the mountains in the background disappearing into paler and paler shades of blue, the sea-spray and ripples of the water as the whale breaches the surface.

For anyone that goes whale watching or on a jungle trek, much of the time is spent looking at the scenery, waiting for that elusive and short-lived glimpse of a creature. The flat ocean and the distant mountains, or the still branches and the thick canopy of leaves. In my painting of wildlife I like to give the setting just as much importance as the animals themselves. The environments can be spectacular, but they really come to life when an animal is present.