Hooray!!
I entered 2 paintings for the Bath Prize and this one below  won the 'Purchase Prize'. In this case the owners of the cafe in the Market had offered to buy the painting they liked best. Several people took on the challenge, and it was actually my stipulated place to paint so I had no option (in the competition, they assign each artist to a particular place, selected from about 35 locations around The City of Bath).

At the start I felt  a bit out of my element as I like painting in the open, but persevered, trying to capture something of the diffused but sometimes strong light in the  space, as the intensity of the sun waxed and waned through the day. This was done over two sessions, with the help of two double cappucion's kindly donated by Mike and Wendy.  (the injection of caffeine may have given me an unfair advantage - thankfully, there was  no caffeine test!:)
A view of the market below ....

 and many people enjoyed being photographed with the Queen :-)
Someone said  that if one patted the pig's nose, it brought luck. So I did later, quickly, feeling silly - but I won the prize so there you  go! Should have more faith



My other painting was done from Parade Gardens, below Poultney Bridge. Here is the first study under way, after starting I realized I needed  a wider format

The final painting below  felt a bit forced and I think the study had more life.


At present I am involved in set design of  WHITE HORSE OPERA'S 2012 production of "La Traviata".
The director has set the time Circa 1910 Paris, and  a number of paintings, by well known Post Impressionist painters of the time, are being used to set the stage and mood of each scene.
Here's a little website made to keep track of our progress.  http://paintingslatraviata.shutterfly.com/
(You don't have to buy prints, it is just a good free site for displaying  images).

 The painting gang. Some are trained some are apprentice trainees. All have done very well and I'm proud of their progress, and ability.
Wylany and her mum Candi, Deavin, Nicole, Julia, Sophie and Dan.

Julia painting "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt.

Katie and Simon painting "Hungerford Bridge" by Andre Derain

Nicole and Deavin, starting Van Gough's "Flower Garden with path"

GLASS PAINTING LESSONS OFFERED

Working on a privatly commissioned panel at the moment , to convey something of the Spirit of "Wiltshire Landscape".    These clumps of trees are typical seen atop and around the Wiltshire Downs they are usually on ancient Bronze Age sites. I've added some standing stones, burial mounds, often seen in the landscape. 
(This is still unfired paint and the coloured glass is stuck up with beeswax, on a flat glass easel , for painting against the sky ). Black lines are painted behind the easel glass to simulate the lead between each piece.


 Close-up detail at lower part of the panel  with wheat, flora, water.
There's the remains of a Viking helmet under the water, reference to King Alfred beating the Viking Danes at Edington.
Some silver stain will add touches of gold and enhance the richness of the glass. i.e. fruit, helmet, wheat, primrose (might have all 4 seasons in this one) - Stain still to be fired on.

There might be  a few insects in the undergrowth if you look carefully :-) or are they in the other bit?

Harvest Time, from Strawbery Hill


(Above) Just After Harvest
(Below) Early evening before Harvest
(below) Looking North Towards Devizes and Roundway Hills
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Apple Blossom, Great Chalfield.

Just updating this image.
Another view looking back at the house in May .....


..... and catching the last of the Apple Blossom. Also showing Climbing Roses and Wisteria on the left.

Childhood memories


40x50;
Oil and silver leaf/canvas;
Painting for sale

Those who want to understand who they are should seek for the right answer back in their childhood. The joyful games and careless days, the beauty of each moment, the love, the stories, the music and the sun in our hearts are still in us and we can reach them again just by taking some time to remember them. When life becomes unbearable and we wish we could be somewhere or somebody else, there is one way that never fails: the way back to ourselves and our happiest memories. For a better future, keep your history alive.

FREEDOM


70x100cm;
Oil and golden leaf/canvas;
Sold

There is probably nothing that should be more important for us than our freedom. Only through freedom we can discover our own way and our own truth. But only when we unplug our ears, when we break the chains, when we turn over the universal machinery that leads our lives, only then we will hear the voice of freedom singing loudly in us. And we will become those we dream to be.

GERMINI


50x70;
Oil/canvas;
Painting for sale
The place and the moment that mankind was born can be anywhere and anytime. The spiral of our appearence in this universe stays open until new revelations will be shown. In the meantime, our beliefs continue to swing between the offers of religion and science. But the truth was never hard to be seen for the eyes that want to see it.
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