Maeve's work in exhibition

Maeve (my wife) has got two of her art works in a local exhibition. It's an open exhibition at the View From The Top Gallery, Nottingham. Unfortunately, this is the last open exhibition to take place at the gallery as it is soon to close.

The exhibition theme is (appropriately) views of Nottingham. Maeve's two pieces are based the buildings and market of the Sneinton area of Nottingham.

Cornering the market (Sneinton)
Mixed Media
8.3" x 11.7"

Market connections (Sneinton)
Mixed Media
8.3" x 11.7"

The exhibition runs until 21st March. It had its preview last night and there were lots of people attending. I sampled the wine and some splendid spicy sausages - Oh! and looked at the paintings - some highly original interpretations of the theme.
The night ended with Maeve selling one of her pieces (Market connections).

Win one of my original paintings
See this post

Out of it for this week

Must apologise for not being active on the blog or dropping cards this week. I'm at work during the day (Christmas job) and on top of that my exhibition has just started so am a bit tired and not quite with it at the moment. First evening of the exhibition went OK. Sold 15 cards and two paintings, 'After Rain' and 'The Devil and the Bishop'. Need to run off some more cards now, then must GET TO BED!!! Will report on how the exhibition went next week. Bye till then.

First sale on Etsy

At last! My first sale from my Etsy shop.

Arran, looking towards Kintyre
Acrylic on canvas, 24cm x 30cm

I painted this view earlier this year from photos I took on a holiday a couple of years ago to the Isle of Arran, off the south-west coast of Scotland. The view is looking towards Kintyre on the Scottish mainland. Kintyre is a 40 mile peninsula stretching out across the North Channel, towards Northern Ireland. The painting has been bought as a Christmas present.

Also, I have spent the morning hanging my exhibition, which starts this Monday. It's great to see all the paintings hanging together.

The Devil and the Bishop, Lincoln Cathedral

A detail of the carving on the south side of Lincoln Cathedral. The Devil and the Bishop

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

The medieval craftsmen who created these carvings had a very wry sense of humour. I found these carvings running along the base of the wall. Interspersed with carvings of flowers and abstract designs were these delightful faces: a grinning devil next a rather worried looking bishop.

This is the final painting for my exhibition which begins next monday!!!

Statue of Tennyson, Lincoln Cathedral

And yet another painting for my exhibition.

Statue of Tennyson, Lincoln Cathedral

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 11 3/4" x 8 1/4"

This painting shows the statue of that great Victorian poet, Alfred (Lord) Tennyson with his dog in the grounds of Lincoln Cathedral. Born in 1809 in Somersby, Lincolnshire, Tennyson demonstrated his love for composing poetry from an early age. He composed a 6,000 line epic poem when he was only 12! Tennyson was responsible for some of the greatest and most influential poetry in the English language. His poems of Medieval and Arthurian legends inspired the painters of the Pre-Raphelite Brotherhood to some of their most famous works.

Side Door, Lincoln Cathedral

Another painting for my exhibition.

Side Door, Lincoln Cathedral

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 11 3/4" x 8 1/4"

This door is tucked away on the south side of the cathedral. I'm really pleased with this painting. I think I've made it interesting, but not overwhelmed it with detail. In fact a lot of the detail is merely suggested.

Lincoln Cathedral from Michaelgate

Another painting for my exhibition.

Lincoln Cathedral from Michaelgate

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 11 3/4" x 8 1/4"

For this painting, I moved out onto Michaelgate a street leading up to the cathedral. Because the cathedral is on a hill, it can be seen from most parts of the city. Here you can see the two Western Towers peeking above the grade 2 listed cottage. This cottage is owned by Lincoln City Coucil and rented out by the National Trust as a holiday cottage.

"I wos here", Lincoln Cathedral

Another painting for my exhibition.

"I wos here", Lincoln Cathedral

Watercolour on Watercolour paper, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

This painting shows a detail of the stonework and part of a door on the West Front of the cathedral. The West Front is the only remaining part of the original Norman cathedral (around 1072). These wonderful, enigmatic faces were so attractive that I just had to paint them.

When I enlarged the photo I had taken as the basis for the painting, I realised that someone had scrawled "I wos here" on the stonework (you see this more clearly if you enlarge the painting). This seemed to me a rather philosophical statement to make on a religious building. Also I felt that the words somehow echoed the "statement" those medieval craftsmen were making with their carvings. After all the carvings are in a way the signatures of the craftsmen who created them. "They were here" all those centuries ago

Snow Around The Western Towers, Lincoln Cathedral

The latest painting for my exhibition.

Snow Around The Western Towers, Lincoln Cathedral

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

As the exhibition is taking place during the theatre's production of A Christmas Carol, I thought it would be appropriate to include at least one snow scene. I always find snow in lanscapes tricky to handle. I want to avoid the too obvious Christmas card snow scene cliche, but at the same time achieve that attractive softness that we associate with snow (at least when we are looking at out of the window of a warm and snug room).

Hopefully I have acheived that with this work.

Here is the development of the painting.

The Refectory, Lincoln Cathedral

Here's the latest painting for my exhibition.

The Refectory, Lincoln Cathedral

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

Two visitors are taking a well earned rest outside the cathedral refectory. It's such a long trudge around those cathedral cloisters!