January 2019
Blimey, how the year flies past and a new year upon us. I actually managed to finish this, my latest acrylic, just before Christmas. I waited until the new year to have it scanned.
Entitled 'Peanut Poacher', I photographed this Magpie as it took a peanut piece from my bird feeder. Many will be quite surpsed how colourful Magpies are. Normally you see a flash of black and white. Not so. They are quite iridescent, especially their tails.
A print of the original has been donated to both the RSPB and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. If you fancy bagging this print then either phone up the fund raising unit of the RSPB or the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation shop near Guildford and make them an offer, preferably for an obscenely large sum of money.
Blimey, how the year flies past and a new year upon us. I actually managed to finish this, my latest acrylic, just before Christmas. I waited until the new year to have it scanned.
Entitled 'Peanut Poacher', I photographed this Magpie as it took a peanut piece from my bird feeder. Many will be quite surpsed how colourful Magpies are. Normally you see a flash of black and white. Not so. They are quite iridescent, especially their tails.
A print of the original has been donated to both the RSPB and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. If you fancy bagging this print then either phone up the fund raising unit of the RSPB or the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation shop near Guildford and make them an offer, preferably for an obscenely large sum of money.
November 2018
I have made a switch to acrylics, though I may still switch back to watercolours. Acrylics add a certain vibrancy to a paint, with less chance of ruining what I have already painted. They do, however, have considerable challenges of their own. I've update my latest efforts in the 'Scenes from the Reserve' section of Fleet Hill farm and Manor Farm.
I have made a switch to acrylics, though I may still switch back to watercolours. Acrylics add a certain vibrancy to a paint, with less chance of ruining what I have already painted. They do, however, have considerable challenges of their own. I've update my latest efforts in the 'Scenes from the Reserve' section of Fleet Hill farm and Manor Farm.
July - August 2018.
Update: I heard on Monday (13th) afternoon that Chilled had been sold. A record selling time. Less than two weeks on display in the foundation's window, which doesn't get a lot of footfall.
I have donated seven of my signed limited edition giclée prints and one original to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. Their shop and offices are located in Shalford, which is a couple of miles south of Guildford, Surrey. Drop them a line or visit them if you want to purchase one to support conservation.
The donated prints are: Both Evolution paintings (i.e. the Mushrooms on metal), Chilled (sold), Silver Shadow, Catch me if you can, Toad Lily and Blue Damsel. All but one print are on mount board. Several will fit ready made frames.
This is the original that is for sale. It comes in a white frame. It is roughly 35cm square.
As usual my art work has ground to a halt as the fine weather calls me to outdoor pursuits - mainly back breaking gardening. That being said, I have been accepted to exhibit at the Artizan summer exhibition this year in Torquay. Check out the Exhibitions page for further details.
June 2018. The 18th of June marked the anniversary of when I took my first photograph of the restoration efforts of the Eversley quarry by Cemex. Check out my blog for further details.
March 2018. I will be a co-artist in residence on Tuesday 27th March, at John Lewis (aka Heelas) Reading. The Reading Guild of Artists (RGA) had a request from John Lewis for artists to be resident on the lower ground floor during their Easter Extravaganza. Another RGA artist and myself will be in attendance with examples of our art from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Other artists from the RGA will be available daily from the 24th to 26th March. Do come along if you want to have a chat.
NOTE: We are allowed to take orders, but we are not allowed to sell any item of our art to members of the public whilst in John Lewis.
February 2018. I have started a new series: Scenes from the reserve. These are paintings of particular scenes from Fleet Hill farm, Manor farm and Moor Green Lakes that take my fancy. The first was completed this month. It was also my first attempt at acrylics. I normally use watercolours. Look in the tab FLEET HILL FARM AND MANOR FARM to find images of the paintings.
I had my first outing with the Reading Guild of Artists at the Sir John Madejski gallery, Reading museum. It was quite interesting setting up, stewarding and then knocking down.
January 2018. I have been accepted as a full member of the Reading Guld of Artists. If all goes well I shall be exhibiting with them this spring half term at the Sir John Madejski Gallery, Reading.
November 2017. I have donated three framed prints to the RSPB, which will be offered as prizes at this Year's Nature of Scotland awards, held on the 23rd November. I hope the lucky winners enjoy their prints. The prints are of Chilled, Silver Shadow and Rust Fungus. I need to get cracking and produce more paintings. A rather bad dose of the flu has clobbered me for most of October.
October 2017. I did try to paint this summer, but the garden and glorious weather beckoned, as well as attending work parties to clear Himalayan Balsam from around the Moor Green Lakes Nature reserve and banks of the Blackwater river. Regulars (are there any of you out there?) may notice a new tab far to the right of this page. This is my blog on the efforts Cemex are expending on restoring two large sections of their Gravel works between Yateley, Eversley and Finchampstead. When finished these two sections will join the Moor Green Lakes reserve to form a large nature reserve, stretching 2.2 miles along the Blackwater river.
March 2017. After my usual summer hiatus from painting (not sure why) I have added three new paintings. Continuing with my evolution series, a Wood Blewit in symbiosis with an aluminium pot.
I've gone a bit mad with swallows. Moon swallows, encapsulated by our large satellite. Then what do swallows get up to when we are not around? Perhaps they have races in amongst Parasol mushrooms.
News from 2016.
A slight hiatus in the painting schedule as I am busily preparing for various exhibitions.
The exhibition at Gallery Fifty Five has prematurely ended. The owner of Gallery Five Five has decided to retire as she was unable to agree a reasonable rental with the owners of the property in which her shop resided.
Perhaps the biggest news is my surprise at receiving a Highly Commended for my swan at the 2016 TWASI exhibition. The judges comments were:
'Painting on a stark black background is difficult and has been executed marvellously in this painting. The judges liked this composition of shapes, the way the reflections are depicted, giving continuous movement to the painting.'
Needless to say I am over the moon at receiving this award. Particularly as this is the first time I have entered the TWASI exhibition.