2022 in a few paragraphs

Well, my last blog in March was called 'on the road again' and I think I didn't get off the road this year! I love writing my blog but it has been the last thing in a long list of things this year so while I have a moment I will try and sumarise the year I've had.

After moving house and the pandemic things were very upside down along with working two jobs as well it was all a bit much but now, I've managed to just have one job and my art, but we are moving again!

This year started with me having time to create new works with a little bit of colour after spending a few years painting quite dark. Maybe we were all emerging from a dark time? I took part again in the Belper Art Trail, Derbyshire Open Arts, Haddon Hall and the Bonsal Trail and I was happy to be back at Cromford Mills Artisan Market again.

 After Easter I was excited to be approached to create nine commissions, eight of Ashbourne shop fronts and one personal. So, from then on, every week was taken up with those so it may seem I haven't painted many this year to those that are following me but I can assure you I have been super busy art-wise. Please visit Cafe Impromptu  Ashbourne where you can see all eight shop fronts on the wall as prints.

Cafe Impromptu Ashbourne, where you can see all eight commissioned paintings as prints.

Also, this year has been the welcome return of doing art demos at art groups it started off with everyone feeling nervous and wearing a mask but has ended with it being more like old times fingers are crossed it stays that way! 

Finished art demo painted at Hinkley Art Group

The year ends with me working on another commission, this time a house portrait, so I am very happy how my year has gone. It is nice to place a canvas on an easel and know you are working on something special.

Next year's plans are to exhibit with Peak District Artisans again as well as have my own exhibition of recent works at Banks Mill Studios. 

Oh yes we are moving house again! We left Belper a couple of years ago but we have missed being there so much so we are moving back on my website you will see I have painted the streets of Belper many times there is always something new to see so that is a very exciting thing to look forward to in the new year!

Please enjoy the Christmas period and hopefully, I will see you in the new year!
 

How I use Reference Material in my Art.

Im always asked how do I paint am I sat outside or do I work from a photograph but I think its more complicated than that.
To create my artwork it is a combination of many things, being a landscape artist involves a lot of watching of the seasons seeing the changes that the weather brings. I'm always interested in how the sky effects the colours seen on the land how the position of the sun determines the length of the shadows and the overall atmosphere of the image.
I do believe being out in the landscape will improve my work and this month sees the start of an intense month of field work.
I have been lucky to be asked to lead a couple of extremely interesting workshops the first is with Fleet Arts and Derwent Wise taking an art group to the National Stone Centre as part of their Anatomy of the Landscape Project, to work on describing the geology of the landscape of the lower Derwent Valley, by drawing and painting.

The second is a Day of Reflection a workshop on Birdswood the canal boat on Cromford Canal July 4th, there are only 8 spaces available, on this workshop I will be encouraging artists to look at reflections and learn how to describe them as we cruise the canal, and after lunch also use reflection to improve their painting by being able to look back at what we have seen and think about how to use the imagery collected to create a painting. This will certainly be a very relaxing day. Please email sales@birdswood.org or call 07552 055455 to book.

 Purple and Grey have also organised two plein air trips for June one is Monsal head June 14th and the other is Trent Lock June 28th both are free and start in the car parks at 10.30 am for a day of non directed painting, drawing and photographing and of course socialising.

All this being in the landscape will help inspire new work and I may or may not use the sketches and photographs. Much of my work is based on memory especially my ink paintings which are purely from memory and use colour to describe a fleeting feeling.

Obviously my street scenes are much more based on representation but even those I change and if you place the photograph next to any of my paintings you will see the divergence. Below is a photograph I took a couple of years ago of Bakewell the first painting I did I added figures and made it a night scene and the second one that I painted as a demo piece for an art group I made more of a rainy afternoon. Obviously if you prefer photo realism this will not be for you!

My next show will be at The Great Dome Art Fair Buxton with the Peak District Artisans, on the Saturday I will be doing a demonstration about Aerial Perspective.