I am sewing away on this piece in front of the fire to keep warm. Seems silly to have the fire and then freeze in the studio! I alternate between the two. This is done on an offcut of canvas I found in the studio that I washed to take the dye better and then stitched into. I used a sketch made in Hanoi as a starting point. You can see it on this blog. I am working into it in stitch now and may add oil paint and/or oil-bar not sure yet. Or it may stay as an embroidery. The chakra colours seem to be important just now. They are strong and untrammelled but will they stay that way? Not sure… not sure about anything but that’s ok. Meditative slow stitch.

Hi all, just to say I am excited to have a piece in this online show. I am an associate member at Neo-artists and I must say this year they are going from strength to strength with real shows and online too. I have a piece ‘Girl in the nightgarden with tiger’ in this in oil-bar and oil-pastel do check it out at Neo online neo:artists

I made this enlarged detail drawing from the original sketch done on the spot that I have recently shared on this blog. I just keep experimenting with close, closer closest that I used to do with the kids when I taught art to them. What goes round comes round, I am suggesting to myself now which feels good! I had some other ideas for this one but decided against them and am leaving it at this…Done on the handmade paper as the previous pieces were using pencil (2B), Pebeo dye and fine liner, that’s it.

I made this sketch on the spot in February this year and the study yesterday in pencil and Pebeo dye on handmade paper. May develop this into a painting or mixed media response we’ll see. The sky scraper had rather intriguing reflections and balcony vegetation which pulled me towards it as a motif in the first instance. You can tell from the photographs what drew me towards it I think. Dye and pencil work well together and you get stronger colour than with traditional watercolour. Click as usual to enlarge folks!

I made this oil-bar and china-graph pencil study on handmade paper today based on a sketch made on the spot in Hanoi earlier this year. It has taken me a while to start responding to the trip as I have been completing other work. I’m beginning to turn to the Hanoi and Singapore sketches now though, and am seeing what emerges. They may become paintings or just stay as studies, I’m not sure yet. I find oil-bar quite tricky due to the drying time, and how it is very difficult to make detailed marks. All a learning curve I suppose, but I do enjoy the lush colour and texture very much.

I made this oil-bar and oil-pastel piece last week from a sketch made after encountering a girl in a white dress whilst walking through the zoo in Singapore whilst on a night safari there. The vision stayed with me, and I made a sketch from memory the day after the experience. I find I can revisit memorable imagery through drawing and mark-making. I really enjoy the colour and tactile nature of the oil-bars at the moment. They are ideal for what I want to express. I won’t be able to show these drawings as they are in precious sketchbooks, which really can’t be dismantled without destroying the nature of the book. I am OK with that though, and will gradually fill the handmade paper book with responses. It was gifted to my as a birthday present by my son this year.

Here I am again at my favourite garden. It feels good to have made the effort to come. I sketch away as the day unfolds. Brought the wrong camera am afraid so no artsy shots! Took a couple with my phone. The light is glorious at dawn and managed to capture a cloud over the far mountains. Then motifs suggest themselves throughout the day. I always love drawing the old oak and leaves with lake behind. There was a little proud robin proclaiming his presence on the lawn. A red hot air balloon took off over the lake very early. I dozed and pruned and surveyed all. This must be paradise. Will keep coming back when I am able. Rejuvenating as it was through lockdown. It was our life-line then…

Here are a couple of details of the small diptych I have been working on. It’s not finished yet and is taking a very long time but I’m ok with that. The marks and colour evolve very very slowly. Hand-stitching slows the process down even more but that’s what I like. The meditative quality of the making suits me very well just now. Process mentality is very much with me always.

I am an associate member of Neoartists at Bolton. Their open show at Rogue Studios Manchester has been extended for a month do catch if you can. Info on flyer. I have a small embroidery and oil on show there and the little sketchbook that goes with it.

Recently heard I have had a piece accepted (Yesnaby cliffs) for this so am super excited. They would like the sketch too so will get them framed up this week and take them over to Neo on the train. It’s exciting too as Neo haven’t had a venue to show work for quite a while, but that seems to be changing. I am an associate member there. Try to get over to see if you can…go to neo:artists to  find  out more  about  neo