Daily Sketch 02/03/2013 In The Studio

Working late in the studio I caught a glimse of my reflection in the glass.

Daily Sketch 09/02/2013 My Mate Stanley

I've had this trusty tape measure for years in my studio kit, and have to point out for my brother in law David's peace of mind that it is in fact what should be referred to as a retractable rule, not a tape measure. It's simply that tape measure seems to trip off the tongue.

Daily Sketch 07/02/2013 Washing Line

Daily Sketch 20/01/2013 - Trabant & Paintbrush

My lovely little model Trabant from Berlin, alongside a paintbrush in my studio.

In The Studio Again

Well, the month of June is here and I've spent a good deal of today in my studio. I've finished off the old road sign watercolour I've been working on and have stretched a whole imperial sheet of delicious 'Arches' (140 lb rough) paper for a large commission I'm planning to start in the next couple of days. As for the road sign paintings, I can't quite put my finger on why I like to keep painting them, but it's certainly to some extent sentimentality for things quintessentially British and these old cast iron signs are gradually becoming extinct. In fact the one above only has it's post, a small part of one of the direction pointers and the little crescent shaped parish badge left, so I had to radically repair it using artist's licence. For those of you curious as to where this sign is, you'll find it at the junction of Colchester Road and Mill Road in West Mersea.

Back In The Studio

It's been a while again hasn't it, sorry, but joy of joys I managed to get into my studio again yesterday for a few hours. So I have a new medium sized watercolour underway and a big imperial sheet of the gorgeous 'Arches' stretched and ready to go for a much larger painting that I've been planning for some time. Whilst working yesterday I had a musical studio companion in the form of Sufjan Stevens which seemed to go well with the work, so here's a little taster of the joyfully odd & eclectic Sufjan for those who are not familiar with his music. I know I keep saying this but, I will try to keep more regular with my posting.

Global 'Cooling' & Red Onion Marmalade

Whilst our corner of the globe continues it's cooling spell this afternoon the tartist is making about 3kg. of red onion marmalade. As I enter the kitchen my eyes immediately start streaming with the vapour coming from her endeavors, but it's well worth this minor hardship as her red onion marmalade is so delicious.




The view from the studio this afternoon

I for my part am working on a watercolour that I think I'm going to ironically call 'Deckchairs and Ice Creams'. I'm being accompanied this afternoon by the dulcet tones of Elbow, who produced 'The Seldom Seen Kid', one of the albums of the last decade in my humble opinion.

Colchester Open Studios

My Little Studio

Well, 'Open Studios' has started today, so if you'd like to come and see me and my little garden studio please drop in. My opening times are 26th & 27th September 11.00am ~ 6.00pm and 3rd & 4th October 11.00am ~ 6.00pm...I'd be pleased to see you. For more detailed information about the various participating artists and their opening times take a peek at 'Colchester Open Studios'

Open Studios

'The Packing Shed' ~ Watercolour

It's that time of year again when participating artists open their studios to the general public on selected weekends as part of 'Colchester Open Studios'. So, for me and many others, things have been getting rather hectic in preparation for the event. This in part is responsible for the appalling dearth of posts in recent weeks and for this I apologise but my paints and brushes have had to take priority.

View From Artist H.Q.

Washing Line ~ Pastel

This is pretty much the view from the studio towards our house. I am aware that our rotating line complete with sunlit washing is wonky or as we island natives prefer to say 'on the huh!' In fact the tartist is often reminding me of its need for replacement.

The Studio At The End Of The Rainbow

We came home from closing up the Artcafé this evening through a premature April shower to see this spectacle over the artist's studio at the end of our garden.

Here's one of John Constable's, he seemed quite fascinated by them. Curiously I really think I prefer his oil sketches to most of his larger work, I have a book of them tucked away on a shelf somewhere in the afore mentioned studio.

In The Studio Again

I managed to get a little bit of time in the studio today and as usual it's quite hard to get back into 'studio mode' after the frenetic activity of refitting the artcafé. I have a small watercolour and a pastel in progress and a couple of quite large commissioned pieces to start so I really have to knuckle down in the next couple of weeks.


The studio this afternoon



The new canvasses for the artcafé kitchen...they need completing too


The small watercolour is almost finished .

'Shadows in The Lane' ~ watercolour on Arches 300g/m2 rough paper...I simply love this paper, almost without exception I stretch it beforehand. In fact I'll do a post on stretching paper in the near future as I was quite surprised when so many visitors to my studio during Colchester Open Studios were unaware of how and why we stretch paper for watercolour.

I'm A 'Shedworker'

It's true, I'm now officially a shedworker . A wonderful blog/site after my own heart, deicated to all things shed related. A discovery made thanks to Juliet's Musings. Both are certainly worth a regular visit.

Rain, Rain, Rain

Veiw from the studio today.