4 designs will be on sale at Burleigh Horse Trials this month and then at the Autumn Fair trade show at Birmingham in September……. Lets hope all those retail outlets like them and place some good orders!

John and Michaela’s portraits are nearly finished now, just a few final details to work on.  Will have them for you to see in my September blog.

Started work on Hazels Irvine’s portrait.  Am working from some photos I took on the Wintergarden studio set in Sheffield in April.  Have decided to do this one on square format canvas with the subject filling the canvas.  Using cool tones and limited colour palette . I hope she likes the end result!

All things bright and beautiful!……………………  The most amazing flowers .  A great few days back on the Lancashire coast at the Southport Flower Show.  Some inspirational ideas for the Salty C Dog range with brightly coloured carousels, buckets and spades and  candy floss stalls. A gem of a find  www.vintagehomesouthport.com …………………. lovely china cupcakes, vintage kitchen treasures and a wonderful 1939 framed poster from the flower show.  In the 1930s it was the biggest flower show in the world, then as the nation prepared for the show in 1939  war with Germany was declared and things came to a dramatic halt!

Down to Builth Wells for the Royal Welsh Show with Rachel’s,
A great four days working with a great team………….. and for all the people who wonder if Rachel is a real person…………..she certainly is, and came along to catch up with us!
Check out what we are up to at www.rachelsorganic.co.uk

July brought the sad news of the death at 88 of Lucien Feud. I have always found his portraits so thought provoking. The way his work has evolved from the early detailed compositions to the loose, free, indulgent impasto application of the paint is indeed inspirational. From now on I am determined to loosen up my work!
His compositions including both people and dogs are to me some of his best works.

Spent more time working on the portraits of John and Michaela and they are now coming together quite well. …….….possibly finished by end of August?

A week in Dublin’s fair city was great as it is nearly 20 years since I was last there. Wonderful Georgian Architecture…. Doors, Doors and more wonderful doors!

Then up to Liverpool. The Rene Magritte Exhibition opened the day after I left!   Very bad timing!!  Don’t you miss it……. on at the Tate Liverpool until October. My favourite Magritte portrait……………La Reproduction Interdite .1937

Then back to base, unpack, repack and off the France for 5 days…………Great weather, good food, sparkling company!

The chateaux of the Loire Valley are magnificent in their grandeur but for me, the fantastic details within are equally captivating.

June issue of Snooker Scene covers my story in Crucible notebook.  Many thanks to Clive Everton for his complimentary feature.  www.snookerscene.co.uk

My new canvases arrive and I make a start on the John Higgins and Michaela Tabb portraits.

June always brings fathers day………………. a special time to remember our Dads.  Gone, but not forgotten, Alan bought me my first colour pencils, taught me how to paint, and how to appreciate painting time is precious!  If he had not been such a great Dad he would have been “off painting pictures in Cornwall” ……… A threat that always made us miraculously behave, and wonder about that distant, artist’s paradise!

Making the most of the sunshine I have been onto the beach with Salty C Dog early in the mornings. We watched someone having some  action shots of their dog being taken.  Kate and Craig Smith of   kickass-phodography.co.uk   take some fantastic photographs. Take a look at their website and get your model pooch booked in!

www.kickass-phodography.co.uk

Off to see “The Pitmen Painters” work at the museum and gallery at  Woodhorn.  Saw the play by Lee Hall at Milton Keynes last year. A fantastic story of how the pitmen at Ashington started a painting class one evening  a week at the village hut.
If you only go to one play this year …make it this one!  It is touring nationally again until September. www.whatsonsatage.com
Some great paintings depicting everyday life with larger than life characters! Read the full story at
www.ashingtongroup.co.uk
My favourites are…. Whippets by George Blessed

And….. Pigeon Crees  by  Jimmy Floyd

Added to my Equestrian Portfolio with a painting of Ellie riding sidesaddle on her pony Taggie Really enjoyed painting this

Took some great photos of the Grafton hounds a while ago and am now working on a picture of them.

Took portrait of Ronnie O Sullivan with me to World Championships at Crucible Sheffield. Got him to sign it and had some photos done.

BBC filmed interview with Rob Walker which went out on live TV  at interval on game between Ronnie and John Higgins.  Clive Everton did a piece for the June edition of Snooker Scene Magazine.

Many thanks to Mark Stevenson for taking the Fab photos.
www.mssphoto.co.uk

Painting now to go to the Snooker Annual Awards Dinner at the Dorchester ,Park Lane, London on Friday 6 May .  To be auctioned by Willie Thorne to raise  funds for the Cancer Charity.
www.killingcancer.co.uk

Met Steve Goodison at Sheffield, exhibiting his work in the Winter Gardens;  a local artist working with graphite pencils. He creates fantastic portraits see more of his work at www.stevegoodisonpopart.co.uk

MARCH
Working on some images of Salty C Dog and her friend Nip Macallan at the seaside for card publishing companies……….. Slightly retro with childhood memories of brightly coloured helter skelters, punch and judy and ice cream vans……….Happy days!

A quiet weekend and perfect weather!  Out with my newly lettered signs! I open the studio with a small exhibition of my latest work, sketchbooks and some of my new art cards. Chance for visitors to see the originals and work in progress. Tea, coffee and cakes out in the sunshine. YUM.

FEBRUARY Took the train from Berwick upon Tweed to Edinburgh to visit the galleries. The National Gallery complex is packed with  treasures,  some I had been wanting to see for years.  Firstly the sculpture of Antonio Canova’s  “Three Graces”. I first saw his work in Venice………..  the tomb of Titian and loved the way he has worked the marble……. Heavenly bodies and wonderful flowing lines of soft fabrics.

Next was the captivating portrait of  Lady Agnew of Lochnaw by John Singer Sargent . One of my favourite portrait painters at his best. Beautiful detail in the face then a flick of the brush to create delicate silks and satins.

The other must see  portrait for me was that of the Reverend Robert Walker skating on a frozen lake in winter. Tucked away on the lower floor with other Scottish artists work, this image is so captivating. He confidently glides across the ice, arms behind his back with his frock coat and top hat looking very grand. A painting to make you smile!

A great morning rounded off with a wonderful lunch in the panoramic restaurant!

Thanks to Ricky at Evolve Technical Solutions for getting me up and running!

Welcome to my new site where you can catch up with my latest paintings ,
work in progress and any interesting updates on exhibitions, galleries and
fellow artists news.

January is proving to be a busy month ….. A very happy Jane K. in East
Sussex received the finished portrait of her Cocker Spaniels. “Thrilled,
you have captured them perfectly”

Working on the Snooker Tournament at Wembley this week gave me chance to
catch up with some sketches and photos of the players…….Player portrait
pending!

The Minimead Dacshunds portraits are nearly completed and have been a joy
to paint. The photo session was a great success with good, bright daylight
bringing out the highlights on their coats, and in true “Crufts” style they
were the perfect models! …….See more of these great little dogs at www.minimeaddachsunds.com