A recent trip to Shropshire, England, close to the border with Wales. A picturesque, peaceful area with many very old, timber-framed buildings in the towns and villages. This first painting is of the gatehouse to Stokesay castle, which is not really a castle but a fortified medieval manor house, and has several different amazing architectural […]

A momentous day in the UK, but life, and thankfully painting will go on. Visiting a new location is always a pleasure, since exploring and figuring out how to interpret a scene is a big part of the fun. Unfamiliarity with a subject does add to the challenge though, and often it is only after […]

Here is this Thursday’s plein air painting, from beautiful Lacock, where many period dramas (and Harry Potter) are/were filmed. Loads of timber framed buildings everywhere. Did this in the morning, half-way through which the sun came out. I had a similar issue with the light as in my visit to Bideford a fortnight ago; ie. […]

Here is my quick demo from Patchings Art Festival at the weekend, where I was demonstrating at the stand of Alpha Painting Holidays. It was a great experience, although I had to follow a brilliant demonstration by Steve Hall, which was a bit daunting. This was the first time I’d visited Patchings and it was […]

The first here is a painting from the afternoon, in the very picturesque Wiltshire village of Biddestone. My second visit here, and I love the place for its old buildings in interesting arrangements. The scene here is of one half of the village green, and as you can see from the photo, it does have […]

Re-working is something I think is an important part of learning. What I mean is to re-paint a scene, after self-critiqueing an initial attempt at it. Having gained some objectivity from a gap of time, I make notes on what could be done to improve the piece, and how that can be achieved, in terms […]

This scene is of a little inlet/loop off the main river at Bradford-on-Avon. There’s a gentle slope down into the water, presumably with an historical use, where lots of dogs now run in for a bit of fun, chasing ducks and the like.  I parked my easel right on the middle of this slope […]

I’m delighted to announce that I will be tutoring a painting holiday in 2017, for Alpha Painting Holidays. This will be in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, UK, which straddles England and Wales. I would be so pleased if you’d like to join me for this, and I can hardly wait to […]

Good times.  Early May, the sun is out; now just listen to that blackbird sing.  And the swifts have arrived – for me one of the most joyous occasions of the year. It was absolutely great to be back out with a group of local painting friends this week too. Townscapes the subject, and the attractive […]

Back in the ‘studio’, encouraged no end by rain. I’ve painted this scene before, but in a different ‘mood’.  The sky, that is, not me.  In fact, the sky here was based on a photograph I took in Bristol a couple of weeks ago. People ask me about my skies so I thought I’d (try […]