More from our Ezra's Diary

Just beyond the underpass and what should we see but a man from Derbyshire County Council up a tree cutting it down (from the top) with a chain saw. It was alongside the old bridge across the River Derwent. Free 20 minutes entertainment! 

Ez's diary again

Now the Art Show submission season is over I have time to devote to our grandson Ezra's diary again. To cross the busy A623 at Calver between Chesterfield and Manchester we use the underpass (above). It's concrete wall to wall and floor to ceiling like an echo chamber so I can demonstrate my yodelling expertise to Ezra. I think he's impressed. He's in the No 2 pram with Grannie in control. That's Hulleys of Baslow bus crossing the underpass so it must be 10.45 - 15 minutes to coffee time!

Barker's Pool, Sheffield

My take on the Lib Dem Conference in Sheffield in 2011. There was quite a lively crowd outside the City hall with a lot of shouting but it seemed good natured with some police officers amongst the crowd chatting away to all comers. The beautiful red curtain walled building on the right is one I helped to detail in 1985(ish) during my career as an architect. It is my only painting with a political slant - I didn't create the placards - I just used the ones that were  most apt!The reason I'm posting it today is because there's an enlarged image of the painting now on display at the New Market on the Moor in Sheffield until 7th July. There are also 6 of my paintings on display at the Great Sheffield Art Show tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday in the Octagon at the University.

 

Scary Google

Opened Google this morning on my 70th Birthday, hovered over the cup cakes and my name came up. How do they do it? ...... and they've got my number, it's all a bit scary!

Houses of Parliament on Father's Day

Re-union with the Uni of Sheffield Dept of Architecture Class of '67 in London last weekend visiting the Shard and Cutty Sark. Free on Sunday morning so did a 10 minute sketchette of the Houses of Parliament from under the London Eye. All equipment supplied by daughter Sian for Father's Day - watercolour paper postcard, squezzy watercolour brush, and emergency palette (seen in top RH corner) which consisted of 12 watercolour pencil dabs on paper... add the postage stamp, find a post box and the job's a good 'un!
Sian took my paintings to Art in the Gardens Submission Day and all 5 were accepted.

"Churchill's View" Camera de Lobos, Madeira

My final (of 5 paintings) for Art in the Gardens submission day on Saturday is framed and ready! It's from our beautiful holiday in Madeira last April/May and it's the scene (with a bit of artistic licence on the boats) from below the terrace that Winston Churchill used for his paintings in Camara de Lobos.

Grateful thanks - blowing through a straw 03

Grateful thanks to the previous generation(s). My father would have been 100 years old this year, I'm 70 in 2 weeks time, our son is 40 and there's a grandchild due later this year. I'm from the lucky generation!

Blowing through a straw 02

This time - steam train coming up the line.

Blowing through a straw 01

Heeley Art Club meeting last night. The theme was "blowing through a straw". We sucked up watery acrylic paint and blew it onto paper. I swallowed the paint just once (which was less than Gwen sitting next to me). I decided to give my artwork a bit of structure with the side of a credit card dragged across the paper!

Sheffield Canal Basin 003a

My third version of the Canal Basin - Sheffield's Victoria Quays - this time looking south. It's almost there, hopefully finished today. Might take up narrow boat decoration in the future!

Ez's diary - walking with Gramps again

This time walking up Lowside Calver during the hot weather last week. Even closer to the pub!

Tuscany ready

Finished version of my post on 24 May. On the road from Florence and Siena. Art in the Gardens submission!

Ez's diary - walking with Gramps

That's me and our Ezra walking down High Street Calver in the general direction of the pub. 18 years time he'll be taller than me (and I'll be 88ish!)

Sheffield Canal Basin 003

Another work in progress. Canal Basin Sheffield looking towards the Nabarro Building. This will be mixed media from my "IYF" (in your face) colourist style and my third Canal Basin painting. The narrow boats are ripe for a bit of colourist's creations! I did a lot of detailed production drawings on the Nabarro building in my previous life as an architect working for Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson in the mid '90's at the end of the last recession. Thanks HCD.

Ez's diary - absent in Madeira 2

Another pen and watercolour sketch to explain the gap in our Ezra's diary - this fishing boat was parked on the slipway at Camara de Lobos, Madeira.

Tuscany

Another work in progress for Art in the Gardens submission day. This was one from our first visit to Tuscany last autumn and is between Florence and Siena. Lovely lush landscapes!

Ez's diary- absent in Madeira

There's going to be a gap in our Ezra's illustrated diary for the end of April to May so I thought I'd put in some explanatory sketches so he can see where we were at that time. This one is the initial pen sketch of Capelo Corpo Santo in Funchal Old Town Madeira - I'll paint it soon.

Supertram at Commercial Street, Sheffield

Started work on producing my artwork for submission for Art in the Gardens. Need to do at least 4 paintings by 13th June. This one will be in pen and watercolour.

Hotel Zone west of Funchal, Madeira

Last sketch from Madeira - the Hotel Zone west of Funchal drawn from another extended coffee stop - this time at the Café Quasbar . The Atlantic was swelling up as usual but not enough to stop a couple of intrepid swimmers in the foreground risking a quick dip. It was one of the few places around where you could walk down a (pebbly) beach into the ocean. Most people were sun-bathing. It's all too hot for me!

Camara de Lobos 002, Madeira

Another from Madeira. Back to Camara de Lobos via another sardine lunch next to the Atlantic at the Praia Formosa. This sketch from outside the Taberna dos Lobos over looking the boatyard and across from the Churchill restaurant terrace where, we were told, the man himself used sit and sketch - that's the building above the brow (pointed end) of the good ship Estrela do Mar.