Alan Leyland - England and Roscommon

English artist Alan Leyland, England and Roscommon

I was born in Liverpool and studied landscape architecture at Manchester Metropolitan University, graduating in 1984. In 2005 I visited Ireland for the first time and decided that I wanted to move here to paint the beautiful scenery. Sometimes I will be in awe of a big open view, the landscape or sky, other times I will want to paint a small part of the view such as a wall or a bush. Other subjects I enjoy painting are still life, flowers and nudes which I draw using charcoal or pencil. For the landscapes I paint mainly in oils, usually outdoors and return to the same place until the painting is almost finished. I will then add any detail later in the studio. I live and paint in Roscommon.