I'm going to have to update my painting of St Mark's Square! Venice is the most beautiful place I've ever visited (in 2007) and the place I would most like to revisit. It's been flooded like this before so I hope they get back to normal again soon. Good Luck!
- Ca'n Rom, Fornalutx, Mallorca
This urban sketch is from our visit to Mallorca last May/June. It's called Ca'n Rom which is in Fornalutx - the most beautiful village in Mallorca. It's at the top of the steps above the Placa d'Espanya with the most stunning views over the Soller Valley. Google "Ca'n Rom, Fornalutx" if you would like to see the amazing interiors. Just had to draw and paint the house from this dramatic angle! More from Mallorca (soon).
- sketching at Amalfi, Italy
Another sketch on our journey with Riviera Travel in Italy. Amalfi Cathedral from a café in the Piazza Duomo. Had to sample the desserts - delicissimo! What a bus trip along the Amalfi coast followed by the view from the top of the hills at Ravello and back via the plain below Vesuvius. Trip of a lifetime.
- my artwork at the Leopold Hotel
Popped into the Leopold Hotel in Sheffield yesterday. Two of my original paintings of the Hotel are now hanging in the main lounge/bar, images of my work are on the drinks & food menu and various items around the Hotel. Thanks to Frederic the manager.
- el tren arriving at Soller, Mallorca
El Tren from Palma arriving at Soller, Mallorca. Did this one when staying at Puerto Soller last May. Been visiting the Port most years since the end of last century and is the latest of dozens of my sketches of the area.
- my final London sketch (hope not ever!)
Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street sketched while sitting on a bench waiting for my dearest (not literally!) wife Liz browsing in the local John Lewis. The rains came just as I was finishing off the penwork so the watercolour was added in our cosy little home later. The original is hopefully by now in the U.S. on it's way to my top collector in Texas.
- 10 paintings
Ready! My 10 paintings for the "Ten Artists Exhibition" at Baslow Village Hall this coming weekend. Just have to get together all the prints and cards I've produced.... then relax (until Saturday)
- make someone happy!
Apart from my sparkling wit and repartee I can't usually make people happy. I'm not a life-saving doctor, an accordion player or a stand-up comedian. However recently, when I was drawing and painting in the narrow street outside ARTiMANS Art Shop & Gallery in Soller, Mallorca where my prints of local scenes were on sale inside, an old gentleman with a walking stick stopped and spoke to me like a machine gun going off. My complete lack of Spanish/Mallorcan matched his English! The Shop owners were able to translate. Turned out that he wanted me to do a painting of his house a few doors away for the same price as a print. We gently (I hope) explained that an original painting is worth a lot more than a print. Overnight, I thought, I'll give him a surprise and do a sketch of his house as a gift. So I secretly stood outside his house and did the deed. The Shop owners kindly translated my description on the back of the painting explaining it was a gift to him. The following week, when I was painting in the street again, he happened by. I stood up and presented it to him. He smiled, kept walking away, kept coming back and shaking my hand.... he seemed very happy and it made me feel very, very good! Attached is me and my new best friend Jaime Umbert Vicens!
- Tram Terminus Puerto Soller Mallorca
This time last week we were there - Miramar Hotel Puerto Mallorca - sitting outside with a coffee looking at the tram terminus. Sketch time!
Pagoda at Kew Gardens London
This building is the Pagoda at Kew Gardens and is very special to me. I first saw the other side of it in 1967. I was the goal kicker for Sheffield University Rugby Team playing Loughborough College in the UAU "Cup" Final at Old Deer Park which is located on the far side of Kew Gardens. I missed 2 vital kicks which meant we didn't win the "Cup". I think I was admiring the Pagoda and kicked the ball towards the building instead of between the posts! I was reminded about those missed kicks over 40 years later. Anyway, the pencil sketch was drawn in-situ on the afternoon of 5th December this year, I ran out of daylight due to the time of year and have been so busy on the commercial side of my artwork, I've not had enough free time until today (29th Dec) to finish painting the work. This explains my lack of Blog/News for the best part of a month!
Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square, London
As the sun was setting last Saturday. The view of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, London. The location was a dead end narrow road called Warwick House Street. There was a police dog squad van at the end waiting for things to kick off in the Square (which didn't happen). There were enough yellow non-parking lines in front of me which lead me to believe that no one would park there. Wrong. Within 20 minutes a white van pulled up and straddled the lines. Finished the sketch under the street lighting - it's that time of year in the UK!
Puerto Soller Mallorca
This is my last post of an Urban Sketch from our holiday in Puerto Soller, Mallorca at the start of this month. It's the view looking along the promenade from outside our favourite Hotel in the Port it's called the Miramar. I drew and painted it on 1st October and it's now in the private collection of our new friend Shirley in Soller.
Valldemossa again!
This is my sketch on October 6 (just over 2 weeks ago) from our visit to Valldemossa, Mallorca. I sketched it from the most excellent Café Cappuccino looking down the Carrer Cami Antic a Palma. I'm just about prepared/ready for the "10 Artists and 10 paintings" at Baslow (next to Chatsworth) in Derbyshire this weekend. Pop into the Exhibition - there are prints and cards for sale as well as original artworks.
Palma, Mallorca
Placa del Mercat - Palma, Mallorca last week. It's a bit Gaudi-ish!
Valldemossa, Mallorca
Valldemossa, Mallorca from our recent holiday. This was a really unusual sketch for me - I did it standing up! (looking over a wall)
Spain, Andalusia, Granada
A very fast sketchette of the Alambra in Granada from the Mirador in front of the Church of San Nicholas across a very steep and narrow valley. It had to be a very quick sketch - friends were waiting. I perched myself astride (like on a horse) a low stone wall to stop the crowds on the placa pushing me off the wall and down a 20 foot drop to the road below. I met a very nice Spanish lady who had enough English to say she liked my painting - I only had enough Spanish to say grathias!
The Alambra panorama
The nice Spanish Lady.
Seville, Spain
While my wife and friends went on a riverboat trip on the Canal de Alfonso X111 - an arm off the Rio Guardalquivir I spent the morning drawing the Cathedral and part of the afternoon painting it. I was sitting under a shady tree just outside the exit from the stunning Alcazar which we had visited the day before. A guide on one of the many packs of tourists that stood in front of me while I was drawing said to them that it was the best view of the Tower - my instinct to sit in that spot was spot on!
My Mallorcan sketches
All my sketches from our Mallorcan Holiday in the beautiful Soller Valley:
Puerto Soller boatyard - our breakfast view over a cappuccino con crema & Napolitano chochlatino (not sure about the spelling!)
Can Prohom high above the Soller Valley - good welcome and good cake and fresh orange.
Soller Cathedral - right hand entrance porch from over a cool Coke at Café Aro at Placa Constitucio.
Placa d' Espanya at Fornalutx where we met the Policia Locale who helped find the wallet I lost last September
Fishing boats in the corner of the marina at Puerto Soller below the old monastery now a maritime museum.
The old monastery at Puerto Soller viewed from lunchtime at the Nautilus Bar. The view vertically down to the Mediterranean is absolutely spectacular!
I was sitting under the ramp up to the Town Hall in Soller at the Placa Constituticio to sketch this one looking towards the Carrer de Vives. This was my final sketch.
The Tobacos at Placa Constitucio, Soller over a cool San Miguel at Bar Firo
The upper lighthouse overlooking the Puerto Soller Bay. This sketch is from over lunch at the picnic tables to the Refugi.
The lower and disused lighthouse at the entrance to Puerto Soller - looks good from any direction!
This was the view from our first cappuccino and cake breakfast in the Port. I wasn't quite warmed up.
17 Calle D'Alaro, Puerto Soller, Mallorca
Old Monastery Puerto Soller
