Art Classes

Just started teaching the new terms 10 week painting courses, one in acrylic and one in watercolour. Although the classes draw me away from my own work I still enjoy teaching them as it gives me a chance to think about my own practice and how to articulate the processes involved. Ive attached a couple of examples that I painted for class demos. The paintings have to be completed in the two hour session so the students have to be quiet kean and disciplined....as for my own discipline could these count toward the painting a day?

Painting a Day

Took time out today to try a small studio study to test some new Michael Harding paints. Set a time limit of 90mins to do a small study after coming across lots of traffic about the Daily Painters. Yeh I know they've been around for a while now but it was just my turn to discover them. Although I am used to the practice of finishing a painting in a single session I really admire the discipline involved in committing to such a schedule that demands it every day. Food for thought though as I paint most every day anyway...just don't always complete a single piece unless it is a plein air study. I usually find that in the studio I can be working on up to 4 or 5 works at a time so taking time out to commit to one finished piece could be difficult...quite fancy it though, there's a certain buzz about this type of working practice that is quite different to the stop start process of the studio based stuff. Watch this space.

One Week in November, Out at Geevor.

Been busy in the studio this week trying to complete some work from the cornwall trip in November, this being the latest development in this 61cm x 61cm oil on canvas. This painting was worked up from a plein air study that was not much bigger than a postcard. When I was on site though I knew that the best way to capture the water rolling down the cliffs after crashing into the cliff face was to let the paint be as fluid as the sea. Thinning it with turps and allowing it to run through the crevices of the built up texture over and over again was the best way I know. This kind of painting takes time to develop the surface and would not be an option on site. Working like this away from the subject in the studio is not a better way just another way.

Out at St. Ives

Just completed a painting to go with a couple of others for the Artroom Gallery over on the Wirral. I was delighted to be offered a slot in their summer exhibition as it means for once I wont be travelling the length or breadth of the country to deliver work for show. This time it is just a short trip over the Mersey. I have about 14 weeks to prepare the work so it should give me the opportunity to post on a regular basis to log my progress and share my working practice in the build up to a show.






PREVIEW NIGHT: 09th July 09 from 4 pm - 9 pm
EXHIBITION: runs from 10th July 09 - 16th Aug 09


Artroom is located 20 minutes away from both Chester and Liverpool on the west side of the Wirral Peninsula.
Easily accessible from the M6 via the M56 and M53 (which runs through the centre of the Wirral).
On The Parade in the coastal village of Parkgate, overlooking the Marshes of the Dee Estuary, renowned for wildlife, just off the village square next door to the Marsh Cat Restaurant.

Just about completed a small series of paintings from studies done in the lakes toward the end of 08. Hoping to have these and others ready for the Affordable Art Fair in London this March...the official blurb reads...........

Affordable Art Fair 12/03/09 - 15/03/09
19/01/09The Affordable Art Fair returns to Battersea Park with the Spring Collection from 12-15 March. The fair provides a relaxed, unintimidating atmosphere in which original contemporary art can be enjoyed by all. 120 galleries will exhibit thousands of paintings, sculpture, photography and original prints, priced between £50 and £3,000. All the artists on show will be different from the Autumn Collection. AAF is a great place to spot fresh, new talent – look out for the specially-curated section at the front including work by young emerging artists.