Old Monastery Puerto Soller

The Old Monastery (now a Nautical Museum) above Puerto Soller, Mallorca. This view is from the outside area to the coffee shop where I consumed my cappuccino on several hot and sunny mornings. It's a view I've drawn/painted this view many times on our holidays to the Port over the past 15 years.

Deia, Mallorca

Beautiful Deia about 12 miles south of Puerto Soller from Café Sa Font Fresca. This time the medium was a touch of the coffee I was drinking. We then walked down to the stunning Cala Deia for lunch overlooking the turquoise Mediterranean. 

Son Bleda above Puerto Soller, Mallorca

Hotel Son Bleda from C'an Prohom above Puerto Soller. This time the media was a touch of orange juice from the drink I was enjoying on the shady terrace. I did my back in drawing this one - I was crouching to look under a hole in the grape vine draped over the fence..... still suffering for my Art.

Puerto Soller Mallorca - the Bay/Harbour 2

Another from Puerto Soller - the Bay/Harbour from further round towards the south. We were sampling the champagne sangria which I then used as the medium for the watercolour or "champagnecolour" as it is now known. Tip: champagnecolour doesn't evaporate like watercolour - it remains sticky for ever - wipe out your palette if you don't want it to smear your rucksack (in my case). 

Puerto Soller Mallorca - the Bay/Harbour

Puerto Soller Mallorca. The entrance to the Bay/Harbour from sea level - literally - my feet were in the sea and I was sitting on a rock. I dipped the left hand of the paper in the sea and I used sea water as the medium, so it's my first "seawatercolour" painting. I then went for a swim in the medium!

Sunset bar at the Nautilus, Puerto Soller, Mallorca

The first sketch from our holiday in Puerto Soller, Mallorca. Lunchtime at the sunset bar at the Nautilus. There was a 200 foot drop down to the Mediterranean on the left! I didn't take any equipment out, so daughter Sian tore a sheet out of her sketchbook and loaned me a pen and some watercolours. She was keener than me to sketch... at last I've passed on the baton!

Mr Miscellaneous at Sheffield's Art in the Gardens

Sheffield Art in the Gardens 2014 - the Miscellaneous Category - that's the painting and me receiving the prize certificate from the Lord Mayor of Sheffield Peter Rippon yesterday (he's the one with the chain around his neck). We look like best friends! The official photographer (with his back in the photo) said "there's always one" - he's got no sense of fun. It's not the first time someone's said that to me.... hope it's not the last. They now call me Mr Miscellaneous.

My Ringinglow Village - Flyer

"My Ringinglow Village" is now on the flyer for Heeley Art Club in October. Pay us a visit - it's free!

"My Ringinglow Village"

"My Ringinglow Village" - another one for the Winter Garden in October. This and the previous image posted have been selected. This painting is a compilation of buildings, landscape, sheep and snow that frequent our village at over 1000ft above sea level. We do have llamas and alpacas but they would look really odd in a painting!

Limb Brook Ringinglow, Sheffield

Limb Brook Ringinglow, Sheffield. It's about 100 metres from our home. The local waterfall in the distant is over a metre high! I've painted this for submission for selection for Heeley Art Club Autumn Exhibition at the Winter Garden in Sheffield from 3rd - 12th August this year (soon).

Oxford - Bridge of Sighs

My first ever visit to Oxford. The city is not only jam packed with bicycles and dreaming finials/pinnacles but it has a Bridge of Sighs. That's me sitting on the steps of a side door to the Sheldonian Theatre sketching the view.

More from our Ezra's Diary

Just beyond the underpass and what should we see but a man from Derbyshire County Council up a tree cutting it down (from the top) with a chain saw. It was alongside the old bridge across the River Derwent. Free 20 minutes entertainment! 

Ez's diary again

Now the Art Show submission season is over I have time to devote to our grandson Ezra's diary again. To cross the busy A623 at Calver between Chesterfield and Manchester we use the underpass (above). It's concrete wall to wall and floor to ceiling like an echo chamber so I can demonstrate my yodelling expertise to Ezra. I think he's impressed. He's in the No 2 pram with Grannie in control. That's Hulleys of Baslow bus crossing the underpass so it must be 10.45 - 15 minutes to coffee time!

Barker's Pool, Sheffield

My take on the Lib Dem Conference in Sheffield in 2011. There was quite a lively crowd outside the City hall with a lot of shouting but it seemed good natured with some police officers amongst the crowd chatting away to all comers. The beautiful red curtain walled building on the right is one I helped to detail in 1985(ish) during my career as an architect. It is my only painting with a political slant - I didn't create the placards - I just used the ones that were  most apt!The reason I'm posting it today is because there's an enlarged image of the painting now on display at the New Market on the Moor in Sheffield until 7th July. There are also 6 of my paintings on display at the Great Sheffield Art Show tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday in the Octagon at the University.

 

Scary Google

Opened Google this morning on my 70th Birthday, hovered over the cup cakes and my name came up. How do they do it? ...... and they've got my number, it's all a bit scary!

Houses of Parliament on Father's Day

Re-union with the Uni of Sheffield Dept of Architecture Class of '67 in London last weekend visiting the Shard and Cutty Sark. Free on Sunday morning so did a 10 minute sketchette of the Houses of Parliament from under the London Eye. All equipment supplied by daughter Sian for Father's Day - watercolour paper postcard, squezzy watercolour brush, and emergency palette (seen in top RH corner) which consisted of 12 watercolour pencil dabs on paper... add the postage stamp, find a post box and the job's a good 'un!
Sian took my paintings to Art in the Gardens Submission Day and all 5 were accepted.

"Churchill's View" Camera de Lobos, Madeira

My final (of 5 paintings) for Art in the Gardens submission day on Saturday is framed and ready! It's from our beautiful holiday in Madeira last April/May and it's the scene (with a bit of artistic licence on the boats) from below the terrace that Winston Churchill used for his paintings in Camara de Lobos.

Grateful thanks - blowing through a straw 03

Grateful thanks to the previous generation(s). My father would have been 100 years old this year, I'm 70 in 2 weeks time, our son is 40 and there's a grandchild due later this year. I'm from the lucky generation!

Blowing through a straw 02

This time - steam train coming up the line.

Blowing through a straw 01

Heeley Art Club meeting last night. The theme was "blowing through a straw". We sucked up watery acrylic paint and blew it onto paper. I swallowed the paint just once (which was less than Gwen sitting next to me). I decided to give my artwork a bit of structure with the side of a credit card dragged across the paper!