I became interested in participating in the Notebook Project as a way of getting back into drawing again.

As an artist, I have been painting mostly still-life for the past few years and never really had the urge to get the old pencil

and paper out to sit and draw, even though as a child I spent a great deal of time drawing (on my school exercise books

for one thing!).

It took me quite a while to decide what I would draw, perhaps feeling the pressure to produce something serious and mature . Finally I just drew what my instincts dictated, which oddly enough turned out to be the same things I drew as a child – women and horses!

The notebook quickly took on its own agenda and turned into a sort of fashion illustration book, dotted with animals. I used magazine images and photographs from old books to work from, transforming the pictures into quirky illustrations, adding and taking away elements to make them feel original. My interest in fashion grew as I drew these images, the way silhouettes are formed and how they capture an era.

In many ways, I found doing the notebook theraputic, as art often is. It took me back to that dreamy space of childhood, inventing on the page, the intimacy of private doodling, all for oneself. I knew these drawings were going to be seen by others, but they still felt very private while I drew them.

Producing the book has been a very rewarding experience, which has also sparked a renewed interest in drawing and in portraiture. I hope that whoever sees these drawings derives enjoyment from them and that they raise a few smiles!