Following the Art in the Pen exhibition direct sales continue to grow, so thank you to all my customers for your support.

Clearly art has and continues to play an important part in the lives of people and these current times have demonstrated that creativity is a crucial part of expressing our emotions and feelings.

I recently went to ‘Grayson’s Art Club’ exhibition in Manchester (you may recall his TV series) and what a pleasure it was to see the variety and diversity of work on display. It was equally thought provoking and joyful.

I hope my art brings you some joy, perhaps some reflection, some pleasure.

A couple of images from ‘Grayson’s Art Club’ exhibition

Easels are, of course, a common support for canvasses when painting. But for me the table top – working flat – is my preferred choice.

With 30” x 30” (76 x 76cm) sized canvasses and my method of applying paint then a flat surface provides an ideal base.

Each painting starts with a preliminary sketch drawn directly onto the canvass then paint is applied often by palette knife in bold colour straight from the tube. Or paint is put on by sponge which requires masking and a decent degree of patience.

Creativity takes many forms not least in how it’s applied.

Thank you to all the organising team at Art in the Pen (August 2021) for managing to get the event underway at this somewhat difficult time.

For me it was a great show with many painting sales, meeting lots of old friends and artists and talking to visitors – how we’ve missed you and how nice to catch up.

Also to buy a few ‘artworks’ – one from Chrissie Freeth (a small tapestry) and another from John Townsend (some studio pottery)

The Gallery is now up to date and paintings shown are those currently for sale. You can contact me via the ‘Contact Form’ if you need any details about my work.

Once again thank you to everyone that made it possible

(the right and centre of the ‘pen’)

I’m delighted to say that on the Saturday 14^th & Sunday 15^th August the Skipton Fair will do ahead.

Of course the venue, visitors and exhibitors will be following covid guidelines with, over the two day event,  visitors are asked to book tickets in advance

You can go online NOW to book www.artinthepen.org.uk

The time slots are:

• JustGiving Ticket holders – access from 9.30am – leaving by 1pm
• Arriving between 10am and 11am – leaving by 1pm
• Arriving between 11am and noon – leaving by 2pm
• Arriving between noon and 1pm – leaving by 3pm
• Arriving between 1pm and 2pm – leaving by 4pm
• Arriving between 3pm and 4pm – leaving by 4pm

Welcome back

Seven paintings SOLD – WOW

Thank you Graham who bought three, to Andrew and Amanda who bought one along with one to a lady in Wales and one each to two other customers. My paintings are original, I don’t do prints or cards or reproductions and while the prime themes of boats and seaside are sources of inspiration each painting is totally unique. They are statement pieces – each 76 x 76cm (30” x30”) and are varnished acrylic on canvas, strung, labelled and signed and ready to hang. Thank you folks

Art in the Pen, Skipton has been a regular venue for many years for me to display and sell my work. In 2020 it was cancelled due to Covid and there was some doubt that it would survive in the future. However there is every likelihood that, like a Phoenix, it will rise again. Plans are in place, to be confirmed, that it will take place this year on the 14th & 15th August. Details to follow.

So, I hope we can look forward to a welcome return to visitors old and new.

Filey Fishing Coble Boats have been a feature of our visits for many years and an inspiration for my artwork for more than seven. On the Coble Landing (the ramp between sea and shore) boats are dragged on wheels by a rusty tractor to their ‘parking’ spots. Two boats ‘Margaret’ and ‘Beth’ were long standing icons, sadly not there anymore but permanently ‘resting’ no longer sea worthy in a car park in the town. The fishing industry has seen and continues to see significant change so perhaps my images represent a past time, a memory. A reminder of fishing, of family holidays by the sea and moments of happiness.

I’m reminded when painting them of the North East traditional folk song ‘Dance Ti Thy Daddy’ of around 1849 including the words:

“Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,

Thou shalt have a fishy when the boat comes in

Dance to thy daddy, sing ti thy mammy

Dance to thy daddy, ti thy mammy sing”

•    “Just a quick note to say the ‘Isle of Lewis’ has landed in our kitchen – really brightens the place up – we love it !  Not quite sure how you get those colours coming through, but really uplifting..

•   “We are absolutely delighted with the pictures ‘The Hen Hut’ and ‘The Broken Boat’. Thank you again.”

•   “The ‘Beached Crab’ arrived today and we are over the moon with it! It really looks beautiful and the colours are amazing. Thanks again, we really love it.”

And a big thank from me to everyone who recently bought paintings including:

The Harbour Crab

The Hen Hut

The Broken Boat

The Beached Crab

The Shoal

Isle of Lewis Fishing Boat – Island Home

# Paintings at the Seagull Gallery, 12 John Street, Filey including ‘Filey Beach’, ‘The Coble’ and ‘The Harbour Crab’[SOLD], ‘The Red Barn’, ‘High Tide’.

The Gallery is ever changing as paintings are sold and new ones added.

There is however a recurring theme – Fishing Boats.

The old wooden fishing boats ‘Margaret’ and ‘Beth’ that once lay forlorn and no longer sea worthy on the Coble Landing in Filey have long been inspiration for my paintings.

Battered, crumbling and weather distressed these coble style craft may seem a sad sight as they now rest in a car park away from the sea but the very nature of their look, their flaking paint and exposed wood bring a vibrancy and variety of colour and interest.

So it is with the wooden fishing boats on the Isle of Mull. Beached near the roadside in Salen these once working vessels now lay with timbers washed by the tide.

There’s a beauty in their demise – great colourful hulks of wood lying like creatures from the deep aching to return to the sea.

And not forgetting ‘Island Home’ an old fishing vessel on the Isle of Lewis. First seen out of the water near Uigean several years later we found it, along with her skipper, in Cnip.

With large sections of timbers and upper structure removed it lies with its ribs exposed like some beached whale – sad but equally beautiful.

I regularly return to these boats as inspiration for paintings. They reflect a time past but the paintings reflect their vibrant and colourful future.