We all went to stay in Robin Hoods Bay at half term. It was so cold – I slept in a hat on the first night! It was all frost and bright sun though, and very inspiring. I’m working on a commission of Whitby, but want to paint two pieces from Robin Hoods Bay too. Hattie and Daniel and I ate fish and chips wrapped up in a blanket on the beach. It was wonderful.

Daniel took these nice photos. My photos tend to be functional! Read the rest of this entry »

Hattie and I ventured down to town this morning to have a look at the new plans for the town hall. I wanted to go and have a look inside because I’ve just finished this piece, which shows the building very clearly. Walking down the Keighley Rd there is an amazing view down the river and you can see three bridges stacked up on top of one another.

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I’ve been making progress on the Greetland painting this week. It’s so warm and cheerful – a nice one to paint on these grey January days.

A week or so ago we all went to Knareborough for the day. It was so cold! Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve started several new pieces these last couple of weeks.

I now have eight canvases started for the Brighouse exhibition.

Last term Hattie and I were invited into Greetland Primary school to do some work with the year 6. We all worked on landscapes of Greetland; they created individual buildings which I patch worked together. These two big pieces are almost complete now; we just need to go in for one last session for the finishing touches. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m now painting hard towards a solo exhibition in Brighouse in May. The snow was inspiring and I have started a canvas of this view.

Hattie and I played out in it lots. She was demanding in her requests for elaborate snow creatures. This is meant to be a snow puppy – put I think it looks more like Piglit!

Hattie and I attanded an exhibition preview at Harrison Lord in Brighouse last weekend. It’s an exhibition called “Best of Yorkshire” and was to celebrate the reopening of the gallery after a difficult and dusty year, and the life of Peter Brook, who died shortly before Christmas. There’s a big article in the Brighouse Echo. Christa Akroyd came along to open the show. She was lovely!

The exhibition at the Calder Gallery in Hebden Bridge is now over, and all but one of the 14 new pieces are gone. I’m currently painting a commission of the view from Oats Royd Mill above Luddenden – the opposite side of the valley from Northlight Roofs. I’ve also started drawings for the new work planned for my next exhibition at Harrison Lord, in Brighouse, in the Spring of next year.

The gallery have all my new work hanging, but the shop is closed, and the blinds drawn until 6pm on Tuesday. They also have prints of all the new work, so my sewing machine will be silent for a few days. Please come along if you can! I will post all the new pieces once the exhibition is up and running…

I’ve been kindly assisted in my hunt for better titles. Down to Town in now Valley Gardens, Rooftops is now Five to Seven. Several of these new ones seemed to be named after trees. Not quite sure what that says. I’ve just finished another with very prominent red trees. Definately can’t call it Red Trees..

There is just under a month to go before my exhibition opens at the Calder Gallery. I have completed 11 new pieces so far, and have a final 3 under way. I also have one more – of bluebells – which I hope to have time to do. Time will tell! I have just uploaded 2 new pieces. Bay Trees, like Siesta, is an out of character “not Yorkshire” painting. But in these past cold weeks it has been lovely to remember the warm Italian sun on my head as I sat drawing in the archways shown here. The other new one, Down to Town, is my current favourite as it seemed to paint itself. The fact that it is quite accurate to life, and that I pass the spot daily, meant I had a continued point of reference for the colours and the perspective – especially those distant hills. The title is not the final one, but I’m a bit stuck. I need suggestions! Anyone?

I’ve just uploaded 2 new paintings. The titles, Rooftops and Blustery, are only temporary as I’m a bit stuck, but wanted to post the pictures. Does anyone have any better suggestions? Anyway. I have today completed painting new piece number 6 for the June exhibition. Spring is in the air and world seems like a much more colourful and inspiring place!