My pictures of "places" are often as much about the wildlife or nature living there as they are about the landscapes themselves. Nature can really bring a landscape alive . Many seabird cliffs are permanently magnificent, but seem strangely empty in the late autumn when birds are absent, compared to in the summer when they are vibrant with the sound, smell, movement and drama of thousands of nesting seabirds. And, of course, nature does not exist in isolation, without the context of "place". The first three pictures in this gallery do not contain visible wildlife, but they easily could, and it is there in my mind: a kingfisher flashing down the Beaulieu River; a golden eagle in the sky over Mont Viso; chamois descending to the riverside meadows to feed in Val d'Aosta after the storm. Many of these paintings are sketches or completed in the field: as with wildlife, I find no substitute for the direct first-hand experience.