Comogli, Italy

Started another. Love churches, love Italy so that's decided! Stage 1 again - rough pencil sketch that's going to be plastered with acrylic. 

Camara Del Lobos 02

Great news. I've started painting again. I've not done a "proper" painting since August last year - apart from some outside sketching, adding to our Ezra's diary/book and a couple of commissions! This one's another acrylic of Camara Del Lobos in Madeira. The attached photo is the pencil (stage 1) version with some tissue paper glued to the foreground to give a bit of texture. I've set myself a target of 20 paintings by the last week in October this year.... can I do it, will I survive that long? I'll let you know.

Our Ezra's 2nd birthday card

Our Ezra loves diggers as much as tractors so for his (2nd) birthday card on the 23rd inst I've drawn him this JCB digger 3CX with front bucket and back actor. He adores back actors so I'm hoping it'll be a winner.  

Daughter's Wedding

20 second sketch of our younger daughter's wedding on 31 January - drawn without spectacles (I wasn't looking at the paper anyway) and on the only piece of paper I could find in my (top) pocket. It was one of those moments I realised I couldn't miss.

Stocking Farm, Calver - our Ezra's book/diary

Stocking Farm, Calver - our Ezra's book/diary. This is as far as we get on our Tuesday and Thursday walks with our little prince. The kissing gate on the right of the drawing is in the top 3 of Ez's favourite gates. It's quite difficult to prise his fingers off the woodwork - we usually have to drag him away! We wonder if he would stay there all day opening and closing the gate if he had the opportunity (it does make a nice "bang" when it shuts).

Ez's diary/book - concrete chickens

Calver Sough Nurseries - the koi carp pool is surround by various products. These were concrete (I think) chickens. Ezra loves to watch the fish sticking their heads above the water expecting to be fed. Some have human like features to their faces, some are golden, some have red and white patches and they all look pretty and tasty!

The Bridge Inn, Curbar..... Ezra's diary/book

The Bridge Inn, Curbar - just over the frontier with Calver (the River Derwent). This is where Ezra starts yawning and we often turn back to Palmers Café. There's also a very interesting pavement gully (shown in the foreground) with chevron shaped gratings which Ezra loves to use as a trampoline. 

Ezra's diary - sketching re-starts

Our Ezra's fascinated by tractors (or "actors" as he says). This one which I think is rented out by Froggatt Edge Garage did a U-ey outside the garage on the very busy A625. Nice manoeuvre!

17 Calle D'Alaro, Puerto Soller, Mallorca

The view from the balcony at the front of our rented house was fan-b*****-tastic (see my previous Bay/Harbour blogs). This is the view round the back and side - shady seating/eating areas and a sunny area for 4 sun beds - but it was too hot to sunbathe! 

Old Monastery Puerto Soller

The Old Monastery (now a Nautical Museum) above Puerto Soller, Mallorca. This view is from the outside area to the coffee shop where I consumed my cappuccino on several hot and sunny mornings. It's a view I've drawn/painted this view many times on our holidays to the Port over the past 15 years.

Deia, Mallorca

Beautiful Deia about 12 miles south of Puerto Soller from Café Sa Font Fresca. This time the medium was a touch of the coffee I was drinking. We then walked down to the stunning Cala Deia for lunch overlooking the turquoise Mediterranean. 

Son Bleda above Puerto Soller, Mallorca

Hotel Son Bleda from C'an Prohom above Puerto Soller. This time the media was a touch of orange juice from the drink I was enjoying on the shady terrace. I did my back in drawing this one - I was crouching to look under a hole in the grape vine draped over the fence..... still suffering for my Art.

Puerto Soller Mallorca - the Bay/Harbour 2

Another from Puerto Soller - the Bay/Harbour from further round towards the south. We were sampling the champagne sangria which I then used as the medium for the watercolour or "champagnecolour" as it is now known. Tip: champagnecolour doesn't evaporate like watercolour - it remains sticky for ever - wipe out your palette if you don't want it to smear your rucksack (in my case). 

Puerto Soller Mallorca - the Bay/Harbour

Puerto Soller Mallorca. The entrance to the Bay/Harbour from sea level - literally - my feet were in the sea and I was sitting on a rock. I dipped the left hand of the paper in the sea and I used sea water as the medium, so it's my first "seawatercolour" painting. I then went for a swim in the medium!

Sunset bar at the Nautilus, Puerto Soller, Mallorca

The first sketch from our holiday in Puerto Soller, Mallorca. Lunchtime at the sunset bar at the Nautilus. There was a 200 foot drop down to the Mediterranean on the left! I didn't take any equipment out, so daughter Sian tore a sheet out of her sketchbook and loaned me a pen and some watercolours. She was keener than me to sketch... at last I've passed on the baton!

Mr Miscellaneous at Sheffield's Art in the Gardens

Sheffield Art in the Gardens 2014 - the Miscellaneous Category - that's the painting and me receiving the prize certificate from the Lord Mayor of Sheffield Peter Rippon yesterday (he's the one with the chain around his neck). We look like best friends! The official photographer (with his back in the photo) said "there's always one" - he's got no sense of fun. It's not the first time someone's said that to me.... hope it's not the last. They now call me Mr Miscellaneous.

My Ringinglow Village - Flyer

"My Ringinglow Village" is now on the flyer for Heeley Art Club in October. Pay us a visit - it's free!

"My Ringinglow Village"

"My Ringinglow Village" - another one for the Winter Garden in October. This and the previous image posted have been selected. This painting is a compilation of buildings, landscape, sheep and snow that frequent our village at over 1000ft above sea level. We do have llamas and alpacas but they would look really odd in a painting!

Limb Brook Ringinglow, Sheffield

Limb Brook Ringinglow, Sheffield. It's about 100 metres from our home. The local waterfall in the distant is over a metre high! I've painted this for submission for selection for Heeley Art Club Autumn Exhibition at the Winter Garden in Sheffield from 3rd - 12th August this year (soon).

Oxford - Bridge of Sighs

My first ever visit to Oxford. The city is not only jam packed with bicycles and dreaming finials/pinnacles but it has a Bridge of Sighs. That's me sitting on the steps of a side door to the Sheldonian Theatre sketching the view.