Full Time Artist My 30th Anniversary of being a full time artist is this year. On the first of October 1984 a young budding artist called Alan Reed took the plunge to go self employed as a full time artist. It was through the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, an initiative set up by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative … Read more
I was recently asked to do a watercolour demonstration for the Coquetdale Art Club in Rothbury. The theme for the day was seascapes. I decided to take the students through two paintings, one of Dunstanburgh Castle, the other of a beach on Iona. In 1999 Susan and I spent three very pleasant days on the … Read more
Florence In February 1999 Susan and I spent a week in Italy, taking in Florence and the Venetian Carnevale. During our stay in Florence we took the rewarding walk leading up to Piazza Michelangelo. It boasts majestic views over this fine city of art and culture. I recall walking a little further on to … Read more
A few weeks ago I was doing a watercolour demonstration for a class in Rothbury. As part of the lesson, I was showing the students how to begin a painting, in particular the sky. This is often the most difficult part of painting a landscape or seascape and can be quite daunting for the inexperienced. … Read more
Sketchbook TIP 6 Receive instruction. I always take at least one Sketchbook on a painting holiday. Join a painting class or join us on one of our Painting Holidays You will be with like-minded people who will encourage you and offer constructive criticism. You will also have that regular weekly discipline that is so important to … Read more