This where we stay when we visit London with our group of friends
Pagoda at Kew Gardens London
This building is the Pagoda at Kew Gardens and is very special to me. I first saw the other side of it in 1967. I was the goal kicker for Sheffield University Rugby Team playing Loughborough College in the UAU "Cup" Final at Old Deer Park which is located on the far side of Kew Gardens. I missed 2 vital kicks which meant we didn't win the "Cup". I think I was admiring the Pagoda and kicked the ball towards the building instead of between the posts! I was reminded about those missed kicks over 40 years later. Anyway, the pencil sketch was drawn in-situ on the afternoon of 5th December this year, I ran out of daylight due to the time of year and have been so busy on the commercial side of my artwork, I've not had enough free time until today (29th Dec) to finish painting the work. This explains my lack of Blog/News for the best part of a month!
Brutalist Architecture
From our visit to London just over a week ago. Two icons of Brutalist Architecture of the 60's - The Hayward Gallery and The Queen Elizabeth Hall Purcell Room on the South Bank sketched from the North Bank of the Thames.
LONDON St Martin-in-the-Fields
One more London Travel Poster. This drawing is of St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square adjacent to the National Gallery. I'm off soon to help set up our Exhibition at Gallery 35, Chapel Walk in Sheffield City Centre open 11th- 16th August!
Another Travel Poster
LONDON (Westminster Abbey)
Houses of Parliament on Father's Day
Sian took my paintings to Art in the Gardens Submission Day and all 5 were accepted.
My 300th post - the Shard behind Tower Bridge
Diwali Stage below Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square, LONDON
The Shard & Tower Bridge, LONDON
The lower image took me 4 hours on a jetty sticking out into the Thames last Saturday 26 October. I spent at least half of that sheltering from the rain and galeforce gusts. I finally packed it in when a mini tornado sucked the plastic lining out of a bin in front of me, sending 2 empty bottles of beer crashing onto the pavings frightening the b'jesus out of me! I was hiding under my umbrella at the time and didn't realise what was happening - I thought there was an express train coming. The umbrella I've had in my sketching rucksack for the last 7 or 8 years is no more, deceased, turned completely inside out. I completed the drawing at home.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
St Barts, London
Guess who's been on their travels again! South-west entrance to the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great opposite Smithfield Market, London. Really picturesque church especially internally. Had a nice coffee in the cloisters. I sketched this from a convenient wooden seat while our group of 6 friends visited St Barts Museum behind me. Must draw the church itself when I have more time.
London, Old Royal Navy College
London - Greenwich - the entrance to the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College
London, Greenwich Hill
Greenwich Hill silhouette - my left leg was in the Eastern Hemisphere, my right in the Western - I was bang on longitude zero!
London, Royal Observatory, Greenwich
London, National Gallery, Trafalgar Squre
National Gallery, Trafalgar Square from the steps in front of St Martin in the Fields
London, Kensington, Brompton Road
Lunch break from the Brass Band Competition
London - Albert Hall
Albert Hall Interior - 100th National Brass Band competion of Great Britain. This was on from 10.30 to 6.30 but I managed to get outside occasionally to do a bit of sketching.
London - Albert Memoria
London - Albert Memorial Hyde Park opposite the Albert Hall!
PEOPLES' CHOICE
BRAGGING RIGHTS. This is me winning the PEOPLES CHOICE prize at Sheffield's Art in the Gardens Open Art Competition this afternoon. That's Joe Scarborough Sheffield's most famous current artist on the right. Hope the handshake passed over some talent! The winning Artwork is of Whitby Harbour, North Yorkshire - one of my Urban Sketches.
