I’m delighted that I’ll be exhibiting my watercolour paintings at Jane Palmer and Friends Artists Open House during this year’s Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival. The venue is number 11 on the Fiveways Artists Trail, the first and most longstanding of all the many Artists Open Houses trails that now criss-cross to and from every corner of Brighton. The exhibiting artists include myself and (with links to instagram accounts): Nigel Hunter – sculpture Stef Hunter – ceramics Jane Palmer – paintings and drawings Tan Kingston – oil paintings Gabrielle Lord – mixed media The house w ..read more

We had a lovely few days away last week in the delightful town of Lyme Regis in Dorset. It was a beautifully picturesque town and, even though the weather wasn’t as kind as it could have been, it couldn’t detract from its charms. Here are a few quick A5 sketchbook studies from our time there: It was the first time we’ve ever visited and it felt like such an intimate place. I particularly enjoyed catching glimpses of the sea in between buildings or down alleyways. Others may know the town better from its appearance in the film The French Lieutenant’s Woman and, as I understand it, the scene wh ..read more

It’s not that this self portrait is in watercolour that makes it rare… it’s the the plain simple fact that I don’t ‘do’ self portraits! I think the last self portrait that I attempted was probably back in school, which if this effort doesn’t wholly give away, was at least some 40-50 years ago! I’m not sure what compelled me to take on this self imposed challenge, especially as I was feeling quite ‘brush rusty’! I think the starting point was when I was sent a photograph that was taken of me at the recent private view of SPRING at Gallery 35 North, that features my paintings: Me in my (un)natur ..read more

Did anyone else know that today, the 20th March, is the International Day of Happiness? I certainly didn’t until I heard it mentioned on the radio this morning. It was particularly timely because I’m a little fraught at the moment – nothing to do with my family or painting or anything (the really important stuff), but all to do with life beyond painting and family! So to be reminded to reflect on my happiness came at a good time – and it chimed nicely with the very enjoyable Private View of the SPRING at Gallery 35 North that I attended last Thursday evening. Here’s a little collection of snap ..read more

We watched the film Titanic with our daughter for the first time this week and it’s obviously still playing on my mind! The ‘all hands on deck’ is, however, a pretty good analogy for the situation I find myself in! I mentioned last week that I’ve had four works selected for a group exhibition, which is all so far so good! Further good news is that the four works that have been selected are all nicely mounted, framed and exhibition ready. The bad news is that all the other works I’m hoping to have on display in a browser, are yet to be chosen, mounted, wrapped, titled or priced. In fact beside ..read more

Well, I’m sure that the title of this post alone is a giveaway to this week’s main news item. I received notification last Friday that all four of the paintings that I submitted to the Royal Institute for Painters in Watercolour had been rejected. Needless to say, this came as a great disappointment, not least because I felt that the paintings I submitted were all better and more accomplished than the painting that I had selected last year. It’s hard not to take this to heart, even though I’m well versed in these rejections (of which I’ve had far more than I have successes!) and I’ve had to ha ..read more

It feels as if there’s been so many grey days of late – so much so it’s obviously beginning to affect my painting! Here’s a quick tonal sketch of this week’s subject choice: Tonal sketch And here’s how it translated into a painting! Grey day watercolour painting This was done pretty quickly and, I think, is none the worse for that! It’s a long way from my usual contre-jour/looking into the light choice of subject but it’s good to try something different every now and then! On a totally different subject… as I’m writing this I’m also feeling increasingly apprehensive! This is my last post becom ..read more

Delighted to share the news that I’ve once again been selected to represent England and Wales at this year’s Fabriano Acquarello in Watercolor Convention in Bologna, Italy. This is the third year running now that I’ve been selected and it remains a wonderful (and still hugely bizarre) honor to be representing my country in any shape or form! Here’s the notification / roll call of artists that have been selected this year: The England and Wales roll call And here’s the painting that has been selected and will shortly be winging its way to Bologna: 75 Holland Road Hove, aka Palmeira Yard The exh ..read more

Before I drone on about last Thursday’s Private View of The British Art Prize 2023, I’d like to start with some unfinished business from last week’s post. I left last week with a painting I felt was almost finished, but not quite! Here’s a little spot the difference challenge from where I left it last week, and how I finished it off this week: Almost finishedfinished All I did was add some additional texture and highlights in the foreground on the track with a bit of splattering, first of very dark paint and then when it was dry, some titanium white. Muddy puddles I’m still in two minds about ..read more

A brief post this week, but not an insignificant one! The British Art Prize exhibition opened today at the Gallery Oxo on London’s Southbank! The exhibition will only be open until Sunday 21st January but, in such a prominent location I’m hopeful that there’ll be a decent footfall! Here’s one of the social media friendly bits of promo that has been supplied to help raise awareness about the exhibition: The private view will be tomorrow evening and I’m really looking forward to seeing the entire exhibition, and have my fingers firmly crossed that my painting doesn’t look too out of place among ..read more