I’m here in America to paint, visit friends and God Children. The last time I visited was in 2003 and this is the first time I’ve painted in the States!

It feels a bit of a culture shock, so different to Surrey, England! Also just acclimatising from the jetlag, 6 hours behind from UK.

This is the gas station and restaurant – the hub of the area. It was a hard paint, totally out of comfort so I aimed to simplifying the shapes and capture the light on the building. I didn’t realise how busy it would get, when I started the red car was there and not many others, by the end it was gone and the front obscured by a mass of cars and toings and froings!

Everyone who passed by was so friendly and warm a happy first paint!