Boats at Whitby

It seems an age since I last did a blog post. Actually it's just a few weeks, but I have really missed blogging. After my exhibition (of which more later) I was struck with the most awful cold and this really nasty cough which I just couldn't shake. Haven't really felt like doing much but I'm just about back to normal now. Haven't done much artwork recently, just messing around with a few ideas so I thought I would post one I did earlier this year, reminds me of summer holidays.

Boats at Whitby

Watercolour on watercolour paper

Hope you all have a happy and peaceful New Year.

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.

Last of the Comforting Dark

Sometimes, when I'm listening to music, ideas for paintings, particularly abstracts, form themselves in my head.

Last of the Comforting Dark

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

This piece was inspired by the song 'The Last Time I Saw Richard' from Joni Mitchell's 1971 album, Blue. This wonderful singer/songwriter (and painter!) has been such an important influence in my artistic life, from when I was in college in the '70's right up to the present day.

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!!!

Justin of Whitby

Memories of summer

Justin of Whitby

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 8" x 5"

On this very cold and gloomy day, I thought it would be nice to remember warmer days. Whitby is one of my favourite holiday destinations. It lies on the North Yorkshire coast and was the setting for Dracula's spectacular landing on the shores of England in Bram Stoker's vampire novel. This painting shows a small shop tucked away in the old part of the town. It sells the most wonderful toffee fudge, including one they've called Dracula's Coffin!!

Rainbowville by Maeve Wright

This is another example of my wife Maeve's art.

Rainbowville

Watercolour pencils and black gel pen on watercolour paper

8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

This is one of her abstract townscapes. Her work is greatly influenced by architecture. I love the way she sees buildings fitting next to each other to form this pattern of lines and colours. It's wonderful the way she blends the colours and allows them to run to form soft and unexpected shades.

If you are interested in purchasing this work, it is available on ebay along with several other of her works.

Chapter House, Lincoln Cathedral

Chapter House, Lincoln Cathedral

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

The really wonderful feature, at least to me, of gothic architecture, is the flying butress. The magnificent stone arches that transfer the weight of the building away from the walls and down through the pillars. They allowed the medieval architects to incorporate huge windows to flood the cathedral with light. This painting shows a detail of the chapter house built at the east end of the cathedral. Oh and if you hadn't guessed it, this is another painting for my exhibition!

In A Distant Land

A brief respite from exhibition stuff.

In A Distant Land

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

Another of my abstract paintings. Rather cool colours, pinks and blues, merge and flow into oneanother, but are offset by dashes of yellow.

If you are interested in purchasing this, please visit my Etsy shop.

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.

Decoration of Divinity by Maeve Wright

Thought I would take the opportunity to introduce my wife Maeve's artwork. This is a piece created in July of this year.

Decoration of Divinity

Watercolour pencils, coloured pencils, biro and gel pens on watercolour paper

8 1/4" x 11 3/4"

Her work is warm, witty, quirky and colourful. Her subjects include town and cityscapes, fantasy, abstract, and flowers. She employs a variety of media including watercolours, acrylics, gouache, pencils, pens, frequently using several media in one piece to achieve the required effects.

Take a look at her work in her Etsy shop and on her EBSQ site.

"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

We Shall Wander Through The Night

As a change from my figurative work, I thought you would like to see something of my abstract paintings. We Shall Wander Through The Night

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

I really enjoy the challenge of producing abstract works. It is very liberating, not have to come up with a recognisable image, but at the same time creating a work of tone and colour that captures the interest and imagination of the viewer. I find that I do employ similar techniques in applying the paint that I would in a building or landscape work, so there may be passages in the painting that hint at these subjects.

If you are interested in purchasing this work, please go to my Etsy shop.

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.

Fish Smoking Houses, Southwold

This is a small sketch I did earlier this year

Fish Smoking Houses, Southwold

Watercolour on watercolour paper, 8 1/4" x 6"

Southwold is a town on the Suffolk coast, England. It is a place that has long been favoured by writers and artists. I love this area of country!

If anyone is interested in buying this sketch, it is on ebay.

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!

"And Were There Strangers On The Beach? (A Moonlight Fantasy)"

I was prompted to post this work after seeing the recent posting by Sylvia Jenstad, Star light....Star bright

"And Were There Strangers On The Beach? (A Moonlight Fantasy)"

Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 16"

This painting is slightly off the beaten track for me. It's one I painted a couple of years ago and was an attempt to portray a dream I've had many times.
In the dream, I'm walking along a deserted beach in the moonlight. Next to me is a small figure, but I am unable to turn and see exactly who it is. In the distance is a cliff surmounted by a tower (all very Freudian I know). Nothing much happens in the dream, but I always have the distinct feeling that there is something waiting for me in the tower.
I believe that the work manages to capture the mood and atmosphere of the dream quite successfully.
I have thought of doing more work like this, although fantasy/dream artwork isn't my usual subject. (Anyway, must,must,must, MUST get on with work for my exhibition first!!)

Beach Huts at Wells

Thought you would like the see the original painting I took my current header pic. from. It's a watercolour of beach huts at Wells-Next-the-Sea. This is a small coastal town in Norfolk on the east coast England. It is one of my brother-in-laws favorite holiday destinations, so I painted this for him as a present when he got married earlier this year.

Art of the day on EBSQ

I woke this morning to find that one of my watercolour paintings had been made Art of the Day on EBSQ

Summer Evening (Leigh-on-Sea)

Watercolour on watercolour paper

A wonderful start to the day. Can it get better?

After Rain, Lincoln Cathedral

Another painting for my exhibition.

The rain had stopped

But I was cowering

Under a porch

Weary of yet more rainclouds

Lurking round the

Cathedral's Western towers

Yet people, braver than I

Walked in the brief sunshine

Amongst fresh colours

And the world was, for a time,

Washed clean.

After Rain, Lincoln Cathedral
11 3/4" x 8 1/4"
Artist quality watercolours on watercolour paper

Waterspout Gargoyle, Lincoln Cathedral

I am experiencing

The thrill, wonder and dread of painting for a solo exhibition.

Subject: Lincoln Cathedral - Watercolour paintings

Venue: Lace Market Theater, Nottingham

Five weeks to go.

So much to do.

To introduce my work , here is the development of a watercolour from drawing to completion

Enjoy!!