Before taking up carving, I used to paint in oils a lot - obsessively.

I practically stopped, once I had swapped brushes for gouges.

I was 22 and it's spot on - though I didn't really understand at the time:
That's me as a conductor on the right, not very happy. There are the nightmarish mountains of books I'd been living with.
In the middle, a promising bridge to a different life, which I took.
The frog? That must be me, too.

I have never drawn for drawing's sake, only as a means to a painting or sculpture or carving.

In the last couple of years I have started painting in oils again.
I've lost some fluency, and a sense of competence - and had forgotten how much hard work it is!

2002: oil, 30in.

A jackdaw fell down our chimney and led me a merry dance before I caught it.
The bird fixed me with such a fierce, intelligent, blue eye.

I'm afraid the detail and brush strokes aren't visible in this picture.