This painting is available as a limited edition print on this link A client who is a great Spurs’ fan, commissioned me to paint the Tottenham Hotspur Football Stadium in North London. There is some urgency in this commission as the current stadium will be demolished pretty soon and be replaced by a new 56,000 seaterRead more…
Victoria square is A leafy Early Victorian promenaded square of sumptuous four story town houses in stone that glows the colour of toast, commonly known as Bath Stone. In the centre of the square are very well tended gardens with not a cider bottle in site. The square was designed to resemble a quadRead more…
Sign up to my newsletter and you can enter the free draw to win this preparatory pencil study. I send out my newsletter when I feel I have got something to say which is of genuine interest, usually once or twice a month. Included in each newsletter is one free drawing or Giclee printRead more…
I was commissioned to do a painting of Covent Garden in central London. The client asked for a picture of the present market hall built in 1830, also including a few local characters. A delight to do. When I arrived on site sketchbook in hand I began pulling in the shapes and counting the chimneysRead more…
Prior to doing any painting I generally do onsite drawings first. In this case I chose to do a quick drawing tour of the St Pauls area of London. I decided to do all my drawings just within a few hundred yards of each other as it was a decent challenge and it was a great opportunity to get downRead more…
I was in London recently seeing clients and doing a bit of Christmas Shopping too. London is a master at generating the ‘Christmas feeling’; In Liberty’s chocolate emporium you can almost see the ghost of Dickens shuffling about with the worrisome spectre of Scrooge fussing with his purse. On a chilly break I glancedRead more…
I visited the The Royal Bath & West Show earlier in the year and was so impressed by the showing of pigs that I did a blog on the whole proceedings and this drawing of a handler skilfully tapping his pig around the arena. The drawing measures 23cm x 19cm and is mounted onRead more…
I am currently putting my work together for this year Somerset Art Weeks (SAW) an artist-led organisation and Somerset’s only countywide agency dedicated to developing the visual arts. It is running from 21st September to the 6th October. This is my first year exhibiting with SAW and I am looking forward to it.Read more…
I give away a drawing with each newsletter I send out. The most recent winner has sent over a few comments about the drawing he won which I have posted below. If you want to win a drawing too then just sign up to my newsletter in the box provided and it will automatically addRead more…
This framed painting is available to buy here or to buy as a limited edition print here I was recently commissioned to do a watercolour of Borough Market in London at the south end of London Bridge in Southwark. Although sellers have been on the site for well over 1,500 years the market wasRead more…
I will be giving away this preparatory drawing in my next newsletter in a few days. If you would like to take part in the free draw to win her then just sign up in the box to the right or just mail me. Who is she? I was working on an oil painting ofRead more…
I paid a quick visit to Porlock Weir on the North Coast of Exmoor National Park. This is a very tiny fishing village tucked beneath the high hills and bluffs of the National Park, accessed by a single and often precipitous road. As you enter the village there is a short terrace of ancient cottages built directlyRead more…
As a lifetime ‘Towny’ I have to confess that I had never been to an agricultural show in all my life so I jumped at the opportunity to pop over to The Royal Bath & West Show. It was a fascinating day with every aspect of country life catered for so I have to editRead more…
Looking for subjects to draw and paint can be a bit frustrating sometimes. It’s not that there is nothing on offer to work on in London; it’s totally the opposite. There is far too much choice and I end up springing a trap on myself looking for the perfect subject and I end upRead more…
The weather in the last year in the UK has been nothing short of appalling. There are only so many winter scenes or rainy landscapes an artist can cope with. Yes, this last year would have even challenged the great Turner. I have to say though the last week things are slowly moving to aRead more…
Today it was sunny, really cold but sunny. Even though I have loads of studio work to do I decided to make the best of this rarest of days and do some work outside. Grabbing my gear I took a short walk through the village and out on the hills at the back ofRead more…
I give away a drawing with each of my newsletters. The winner is picked out at random from those who wish to take part in the draw. The last drawing which was a preparatory drawing for an oil painting was won by Bea from Hove, UK. She was kind enough to write a fewRead more…
I will be giving away this (8cm x 16cm) mounted drawing in my next newsletter which will be sent on the 4th March. The winner will be picked randomly from all those who put in a request for him. A drawing will be on offer for each newsletter from now on so if youRead more…
I am currently working on an oil painting for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. No guarantees of getting in of course as the competition is brutal as the whole of the Cotswolds apply. They have, however, let me in a few times before so it is certainly worth a punt and the pageant is goodRead more…
I am currently working on a commission to paint a number of scenes around the Waterloo area of London. I began just before Christmas drawing in the main façade of the station featuring commuters, Christmas shoppers, and those going on holiday. All pouring in and out of the main entrance. On site atRead more…
Last year I was approached to paint a picture of ‘Glorious Goodwood’ in West Sussex, England. This being one of the UK’s premier rececourses. It was a large and complicated composition so I thought I would write a quick blog on my journey along the way. The first step was to get to theRead more…
The powers that be were kind enough to allow me in to the allotments at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. A bit about the hospital The Royal Hospital was founded by fun loving so called “merry monarch” King Charles II in 1681 for soldiers of good conduct who were no longer fit forRead more…
Well technically it is Sclater Street although most people will know it a part of Brick Lane market. Brick Lane Click on the image to see it larger Like any area in transition there are quite distinctive parts. On the south side can be found the Bengali community who replaced the Jewish community, and inRead more…
At the weekend I went to Southend-on-Sea and Clacton-on-Sea to paint something for the Threadneedle Prize. I was most excited and planned it for weeks. This over planning was the beginning of the as yet unseen problem. In my ferment I had it all done it in my head first before checking the places out.Read more…
I though I would blog the process I use in developing an oil painting. Initially it begins with a very simple idea or message. This is often very loose and oddly for a painter who paints a lot of architecture the characters can come first. These are often based on people who I have metRead more…
We went to Bath over the new year and I took time out to get wrapped up and get a few sketches together as a spot of pre planning for the Bath Art Prize in the summer. I am not sure which one i shall do yet. I think I will go back in the spring toRead more…
I have recently been commissioned to paint a scene in Sutton-On-Sea. The client’s mother used to own a house in the town though she is now too elderly to visit so he thought a painting which would recall many a happy holiday would make a nice present for her. I had never heard of Sutton-On-SeaRead more…
am currently working on an oil painting and the preparatory drawing is above. The painting is based on an event at my mum’s allotment. As the growing season nears its end the members organise an “Allotment show”. Quite a jovial affair. They pitch a large marquee, have a jumble sale and sell cake. At leastRead more…
I am currently battling away with a painting of Columbia road flower market. I say battling because when the market is open it is utter mayhem. A virtual 80’s trading floor at the summit of a black Wednesday. There are great eddying tides of people heavy with boxes of plants and flowers elbowing each otherRead more…