Here is my latest drawing, in oil-bar and pencil, and watercolour on Winsor and Newton heavy watercolour paper. I wanted to capture the flowers my son Patrick and his girlfriend Sarah gave me for my birthday before they were finished. They seemed to glow in our dark little sitting room. I do believe things emit an energy that can be positive or negative and all the shades in-between. These gave me a great lift, and I even like when they are dying. They still arrange themselves into wonderful shapes. I’m sharing the stages too as usual, though I often get so involved in the drawing that I forget to take photographs not sure what the solution is! Maybe to film myself as I work?

Have just sent a painting as my offering for this great celebration. Tim Smith of Wilberforce College Art Dept contacted me and asked if I was willing to contribute a piece. They should be framed and ready to hang to be given to homes in Hull in an initiative to promote the arts. I couldn’t think which one to choose, but plumped for this one as it is of an iconic structure from another part of the British coastline and I thought it somehow appropriate. I hope whoever gets it likes it!

I have just completed this piece from a drawing of a little pine chair that I have recently shared on this blog. I decided to draw it against colours of the dawn as I saw it the other morning. Do click to enlarge and see marks better. It is in oilbar and pencil on A1 heavy Arches paper that was rather expensive but so worth it to work on!

Here is a sketch I made yesterday. Bit of a watershed moment as I haven’t been drawing for a while as have been busy cleaning dad’s house and trying to get back into uni work. It’s of a lovely little pine chair from the house and I have appropriated with delight. I have to stop bringing stuff back soon! Click to enlarge and see marks more clearly.

I went to the preview for this on Saturday and there really is some superb work so do go and see if you get the chance. It’s on in Bolton shopping centre for another 3 weeks. I will be there next Saturday to invigilate from 11 till 2 pm if you want to catch me. I have the piece ‘Apples at Dad’s’ on show and I must admit I was really impressed how it was shown in fact the whole show is very well curated. Here’s a shot of me with my piece. You can read about the thinking  behind it on this blog.

I made this sketch of the apple tree in dad’s garden this week whilst up there sorting out the house. The apple tree is in a bad way and could be dying. It is in need of some tlc and a very experienced tree surgeon has been called to work his tree magic. I do hope he can save it as I really love this one. It gave out many apples this year but I’ve been told they sometimes do this as a kind of last gasp. So keep this tree in your thoughts everyone and cross your fingers and everything else. It’s shape is amazing and can be appreciated even  more against the winter sky. I used my favourite crow feather dipped in indian ink to draw it. Click to enlarge as usual.

I decided to draw on top of a shot of the apples fallen on the ground at dad’s using my intuos tablet as a further development of this series. I may do more marks so watch this space. I have taken the large drawing in oil bar and pencil on Arches paper previously shared on this blog to be framed as a submission at Neoartist’s open show at Bolton. Fingers crossed it will be chosen! I wasn’t going to show work this year as I didn’t feel I was in the right headspace, but decided to go with the one piece afterall.

I decided to take the plunge and use my new intuous tablet to develop my last drawing shared on this blog. I was going to add marks and colour to the original, but decided to leave it in the state it is as I didn’t want to overdo things and liked some of the marks that are on their own in the white space of the paper. I realised I would be able to use the shot I took of the drawing to work on top of to develop my ideas further. This also lends itself really easily to creating a series of images which was something I wanted to do even using traditional drawing media. It’s just another tool and I decided not to be overfaced by it. So here are the results. I chose a section of the original drawing to use and made my marks initially in black, then for the subsequent image, a grey and red as well as a filter. I’m just letting all this sit with me before I do more, or not, let’s see! Click images to enlarge as usual.

I made this drawing today using oilbars and pencil and is another response to dad’s garden. I shared the photos of the fallen apples in my previous post. This is a gestural drawing that I enjoyed getting involved with and feel it is not yet complete. It could go through yet more stages. I relished pressing hard with the pencil through the layers of oilbar marks which feel so lush when you lay them down. The heavy arches paper can take any amount of pressure that’s why I love it so much. Click to enlarge and see marks more clearly as usual.

I went up to Burtrees to clear more of my dad’s stuff and take some gifts to family on the Friday after Christmas. I was clearing apples from the drive so that cars can get up without skidding on them. There were so many I couldn’t clear those from the garden as well but took these shots of them before I left. I’ve a feeling they could become a large painting, we’ll see. I also have plans afoot at home to change my studio space at home so I can do larger work, will keep you posted. It’s all process and part of the coming to terms with dad not being here. But it will all happen as it’s own good time and when it’s meant to I am finding.