Walking back along the sands from Sandsend to Whitby after my usual crab sandwich feast, spotted 2 gulls appearing to spectate an off-shore yacht race.
Fornalutx, Mallorca (again)
Fornalutx, Mallorca, where the best Police and most honest Taxi Drivers on the Island helped recover my mislaid wallet in September 2014 - forever grateful. A postcard of Fornalutx tumbling down the hillside from a work colleague was the reason we first visited the Soller Valley in 1999 and almost every year since - quite often twice in the same year.
- 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!
- Carrer de sa Lluna, Soller, Mallorca
Saturdays 7th & 14th May - Carrer de sa Lluna, Soller, Mallorca. I was sitting outside ARTiMANS Art Shop sketching the street views - attracting passers-by. The Shop was selling my Soller artwork, then I signed the prints!
- 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!
- 2 of my paintings at Sheffield Winter Garden
Two of my artworks on display in Sheffield Winter Gardens, with Heeley Art Club, 2nd-9th April. If you're visiting the Winter Garden, pop into the adjoining Millennium Gallery shop and see a selection of Cards and mounted prints of my Sheffield artwork
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!
Michael Portillo @ Puerto Soller Mallorca
Michael Portillo was on BBC 2 last night (and repeated tonight) taking the Train and the Tram from Palma to Puerto Soller in Mallorca! It's our favourite place - but don't tell too many people! My paintings are the view to Portillo's right. I painted the image on the right from almost exactly where Portillo was sitting but I was actually sitting in the sea behind him and using the sea water as my watercolour medium.
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.
10 Artists Exhibition at Baslow
Anywhere near Baslow (next to Chatsworth) in Derbyshire this weekend? Pop into this Exhibition - I'm one of the 10 Artists!
House painting
Some might/might not have been wondering why I've not postedany paintings for a couple of weeks. The reason is I've been painting (decorating) our house! Notice the dark oak staining to the window mullions and curved top door in the distance.
I also replaced the fascia board and guttering, working carefully around the live gas pipe. That's my studio/workroom at the top of the photo.
Stained fascia and gutter fixing bracket detail:
Financially better off, artistically, progress on hold!
Starry, starry night at Whitby Abbey
Heeley Art Club tonight - the task "working in the style of your chosen artist". Guess mine!
Whitby - North Yorkshire
3 post cards from Whitby - no words just sketches!
Another Travel Poster - Tuscany
Quirico - Tuscany - Italy
This is a second test post
Just playing with my new Squarespace website and its integration with Facebook
Sheffield Canal Basin / Victoria Quays
Cordoba - the Mosque
In June we were guided around Seville, Cordoba and Granada by Riviera Travel. This is my abiding memory of the Mosque of Cordoba and how it would look as a Travel Poster!
Our Exhibition - 2 days left
This is me explaining how I put together my "Mediterranean acrylic/collage" at our Exhibition at Gallery 35, Chapel Walk, Sheffield ending in 2 days time on Sunday 16th August. The other side of this painting in the window facing the Walk is my "Impression of Barkers Pool in Sheffield". Come and have a look.
Sheffield on the Hill
Sheffield on the hill - looking up Pond Hill..... stage 3 finished! Can't decide whether or not to add it to my display in the "10 artists and 10 paintings" at Baslow on 24 & 25 October. In the meantime I must do some house maintenance, painting and decorating!
Whitby, North Yorkshire, after the landslide
Whitby after the Landslide. Finished at last! Do you think I've put too many seagulls on the mudflats - they're usually all around the chip shop.
