The Evolution of My Artistic Voice: A Five-Year Journey (2020 to 2025)

If you asked me back in 2020 what kind of artist I was, I probably would’ve told you I wasn’t sure yet. I was still figuring it out. I was painting because I loved it, because I needed to, I felt this call for change, but I didn’t fully know where I was heading. The style, textures and colour choices were all part of the discovery.

Looking at my painting from that time, Glen Sligichan (with the bright blues and bold palette knife strokes), I see experimentation. I was trying to find a style, almost willing it to happen. I was chasing a look more than a feeling., hoping that eventually something would come through.

What I really needed was to let my instinct guide me.

Five years later, I feel it has.

The 2025 version of Glen Sligichan shows that shift clearly. It still holds the same subject and scene, but it feels different. It feels moodier, more dramatic. There is more intention with the colours and layers. Like I’m not trying so hard anymore to make a statement, but instead just letting the painting speak naturally. And for me, that’s the biggest change.

 

Those Early Days

In the beginning, I was all about texture. I loved the physicality of painting, especially with palette knives. There was something so freeing about not worrying too much about being precise, and just focusing on how the paint revealed itself. My early works, like the 2020 version of Glen Sligichan, were raw and energetic.

It wasn’t just creating a pretty picture. I wanted to capture the emotion of a place. That in-between space where memory and imagination meet. Back then, I didn’t always get it right, but I think that’s what made it exciting. Every painting was an adventure, and I never truly knew what it would become until the very end.

Learning Along the Way

I’ve learned so much over the past five years, and not just about painting. I’ve learned to trust myself more. I’ve learned that style isn’t something you sit down and decide on. It slowly forms while you’re busy creating, failing, trying again, and repeating that cycle over and over.

I've learned to get out of my own way. Having a plan is one thing, but then trusting the direction you move in while creating is just as important. Each artwork is fluid in its own evolution. How wonderful is that. 

There were times with this artwork when I felt stuck. When I’d paint something and look at it thinking, “This isn’t it.” But even those moments taught me something. They helped me recognise what did feel right. I stopped overthinking things and started painting in a way that felt more honest. I began paying more attention to light and how it shapes a scene. That’s become a really important part of my work.

Now, when I paint, it’s less about trying to get it “right” and more about capturing a feeling that sits just beneath the surface. That quiet, familiar pull of a place that touches you again and again, every time you walk past it.

The Shift in Style

When I compare the 2020 and 2025 versions of Glen Sligichan, I don’t see one as better than the other. I just see two different stages of my journey.

The more recent version feels more grounded and purposeful. The colours are richer, the transitions smoother, and the composition more considered. I wasn't afraid to leave space or let light do some of the talking. The castle still sits proudly on that little stretch of land, but it feels more at home, like it belongs in the landscape.

That’s kind of how I feel too. I still play with texture, and I still love when paint surprises me, but now it all feels more connected. The style has become secondary now. I don’t have to chase it anymore. I am just loving the evolution.

Painting with Purpose

These days, painting has become something a little deeper for me. It’s less about creating and more about remembering. Remembering what matters, what lights me up, what feels true. Every time I step up to a blank canvas, I bring everything I’ve experienced up until that moment. And I try to let it flow without forcing it.

I’ve also started to really embrace the spiritual side of my process. That quiet sense of guidance that comes when I’m fully present. When the noise fades and it’s just me and the canvas and the colours (and maybe some great tunes to lift the energy). That’s when I feel most connected to myself and to something bigger. 

Looking Back (and Ahead)

I used to dislike looking back at old work. I’d see all the flaws and things I wish I’d done differently. But now, I see growth. I see courage. I see a younger version of myself who didn’t know where things would lead but kept showing up anyway.

The 2020 painting was bold and brave. The 2025 version is calm and measured. That’s what keeps it exciting. I’m not done growing. I’m not done exploring. I don’t think I ever will be.

That’s the beauty of this whole thing. Style doesn’t stay still, because we don’t stay still. We evolve. We get clearer. And our work starts to reflect that.

To everyone who’s supported me along the way, thank you. Seriously. Whether you’ve collected a piece, sent a kind message, or just followed along quietly in the background, it’s meant more than I can say. Your encouragement has helped shape the artist I’m becoming.

Here’s to the next five years. I have no idea where they’ll take me, but I know I’ll keep painting, keep growing, and keep sharing the journey with you as honestly as I can.

A very special thanks to Anna and Dave for allowing me to recreate Glen Sligichan for them. It's a privilege to create something so personal for someone, but to be given the opportunity to reinterpret it again 5 years later is truly special.