"Every painting should have the 'wow' factor," says Paul Brown, "and ideally what I aim to achieve in my paintings is to arouse an emotional response from the viewer." However, while Paul is conscious of the fact that paintings are a way of communicating ideas and therefore they should be seen by other people, ultimately he paints for his own satisfaction. And he believes this must also apply to commissioned pieces, such as the landscapes and beach scenes that he paints for various clients. In his view, a painting is more likely to be successful if it is an expression of how the artist feels about something, rather than created to please someone else." But if I am pleased," he says, "hopefully other people will like the work too."

Paul's subject matter is wide-ranging and includes landscapes, views of Venice and London, interiors and figure compositions. "I especially enjoy setting up scenes with figures," he comments. "This is something that offers potential for greater originality, I think. Lots of artists paint landscapes and Venice!" Yet although diverse, his subject matter is linked by a strong understanding and interest in light and colour. In all his work it is the way that he interprets a certain quality of light, through the careful selection and handling of colour, that evokes a particular mood and sense of place. His paintings are impressions that connect with a given moment in time and often there is a nostalgic or romantic feeling about them.

To date, travel has been an important aspect of Paul's work. He is constantly looking for new locations for landscape subjects as well as interesting settings for his figurative compositions. "Sometimes I go to places that are recommended to me," he says, "but generally I choose my own destinations - places that I think will inspire fresh ideas. Apart from the UK I have worked in France, Ireland, Italy and the US. Not knowing what you are going to find is part of the excitement, I think. Equally there can be value in revisiting certain locations, though not simply to repeat scenes that you have already painted."

After graduating with a degree in economics from Cardiff University Paul Brown worked for three years in London until, disillusioned with his job and discovering he was dyslexic, he decided to switch careers and concentrate instead on painting. He had always been very interested in painting and now was the time, he thought, to see if he could make a successful career as a professional artist. His first solo exhibition was held in London in 1992 and he has painted full-time since then.

There are regular solo exhibitions of Paul's work at Gallery 47 in London and his paintings have also been shown at the Alchemy Gallery, Air Galleries, Ebury Galleries and the Mall Galleries in London, as well as the Century Galleries at Henley and other established provincial galleries. Additionally, his paintings and working methods have been featured in a number of magazines and journals, and there are paintings in many private and corporate collections.