Blog

I am on the Isle of Wight, and it feels like I never left except I have no home to go to! I have been preparing to put work in the Restaurant of the popular ‘GarlicFarm’ on the Isle of Wight. It is proving to be a good venue for selling work. I have brought a number of paintings from previous years but have also added to it with some new work. I have been following two regattas in Cowes, the ‘British Classic regatta’ and the ‘Royal Yacht Squadron Bicentenary regatta’ The weather has been a bit challenging with gales and rain to upset the racing schedules. I have had a bit of success selling some of the paintings hot off the palette, which is always a joy! I have also been enjoying catching up with friends, and yesterday heard two encouraging tales – firstly, “I have just retired and moved permanently to live in Cowes after working in Dubai, your little painting is the only one that came back with me!” and the other “I moved house last year and do not have much wall space now but your lovely little painting is in pride of place in the living room!” You know hearing these sort of stories are what keep me going when I am sat on a damp cliff wondering what I am doing there! I am living in my camper but it is also my mobile studio and here I am doing the framing of my new pieces in preparation for the exhibition. I was parked up in a quiet church yard so I could work un-interrupted, however now I am typing this at a dear friends home where I have taken up temporary residence!!. ...

I have been on a winter trip. Hopefully you know of my yacht and sailing club prints that I have done based around the Solent. Well, I have decided to do the same thing on the East Coast. So I have been photographing all the clubs, working between Burnham on Crouch and Lowestoft – and there are around 45 clubs, so I am going to have to do a bit of thinking to fit them all on to a tea towel print…. There have been clubs of all shapes and sizes, but this club, Stour Sailing Club wins my prize for the prettiest club. I did call in on the Isle of Wight to do a bit of business and catching up. I have agreed to show my work at the Garlic Farm Cafe in August so that will be an opportunity to keep things ticking over on the Island. I hope to be there at the end of July to do some new work. It is a bit strange with the run up to Christmas in a new town, but I am pleased to have been asked to join in with the Staithes Winterfest. There will be quite a few artists there so I am looking forward to meeting them all. ...

Well, my new website is now on line, and hello to you if you are reading my blog! – do drop me a note if you find any gremlins in the works or let me know what you think to it! I am sat at the Hamble Point boat show at the moment, just catching a lull in proceedings to write this. As some of you may know I am on the move, and at present rather like a snail, as not quite completed on my house and working towards living with mum and dad till I find a house to buy up in Whitby, yes! Whitby. That’s where my aged mum and dad live so it’s time to be a bit nearer – it’s 6 hour drive from Southampton so it would be nice to be 6 minutes if I can find somewhere!. ...