Susan and I have just returned from a wonderful trip to Turin to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. As we were wandering about I noticed a poster for an exhibition of paintings by Monet and Picasso at Palazzo Barolo Turin. I decided to pay a visit and was not disappointed. Although there was only one […]
Northern Counties Club The Derelict featured in a watercolour demonstration and talk about Junction 42 at the Northern Counties Club. The event was titled “Art in Prisons”. I shared many of my experiences working with ex-offenders. I also spoke about those who are serving custodial sentences in prison. One of the paintings that I started […]
In 2019 I posted a John Singer Sargent watercolour titled “White Ships” on social media. I spoke about the freshness and spontaneity of Sargent’s brush stokes and how Sargent would “draw” with his brush. It’s a technique that I’ve tried to cultivate in my own painting to bring movement and life to my paintings. Almost […]
Grey Street Painting This week saw me reach another landmark birthday, I’m now 60 years old. I have to say that I’m grateful to God that I’ve been blessed with 60 years to date. However, compared to my 60th, my 50th birthday was more of a year of contemplation and challenge. In 2011 when I […]
Paintings of Venice Venice is a magical city. There are so many amazing views of Venice that have been captured in paint. There are the obvious ones of St Mark’s Square and the Grand Canal, but then you have the quiet canals that are so distinctive. Sunlight in Venice is of a small canal not […]
Anniversary The first of October is a landmark date for me. It was this day in 1984 that I went self employed as an artist. I began undertaking all kinds of Painting Commissions. Over the last 36 years I’ve been through all kinds of challenges, particularly during the recession which began in 2008 with the […]
Life Drawing One of the frustrating aspects of Lockdown has been the lack of Life Drawing classes. For several years I was able to attend weekly life drawing classes where I could develop my Figure Drawing. Usually I would tackle the subject in oils if it was the same pose throughout the evening. It was […]
St Nicholas Cathedral Exhibition Prison Week As part of Prison Week, there is an exhibition of prisoners work on display at St Nicholas Cathedral in Newcastle. Since August I’ve been teaching some of the prisoners from a north east prison how to draw portraits. Most of them have had little or no experience of any […]
Michelangelo One cannot underestimate the importance to the artist of regular drawing. Part of my Studies at the Charles Cecil Studio included life Drawing. You can read about it on our Reedart Holiday Blog. Don’t just take my word for it. Here are a few quotes from some of the experts: “Work hard and don’t on […]
21. My style really began to develop when I was an art student. It improved through my desire to become a better watercolourist. More than ever, I am always seeking to improve my skills and to become the artist I’m meant to be. 22. I find that I’ve learned to know when to stop. […]