Pastels And Pigments.

Husb and I went to the Lake District for a break a couple of weeks ago and took ourselves off to the gorgeous town of Keswick. On the Main Street there’s a lovely little gallery, The Graphite Gallery, where I was able to indulge my love of natural pigments and talk at length with aContinue reading “Pastels And Pigments.”

Faces On The Train

Husb and I had a few days away in Cumbria, The Lake District, and booked a journey on the Cumbrian Coast Line all the way to the ancient city of Carlisle. It was a long journey because it meandered around the coast with loads of tiny local stops, but I enjoy train travel, especially asContinue reading “Faces On The Train”

Scribbling Sellafield

Went on the Cumbrian Coast Line train around The Lake District the other day, and passed Sellafield, the nuclear power station. The train stopped for a few minutes so I had a quick scribble. It’s a grim-looking pile in the middle of beautiful countryside, but that makes for an interesting contrast. I used a ballpointContinue reading “Scribbling Sellafield”

Waiting At The Station

Here’s a little scribble I did in my sketchbook the other week when I was waiting for the train back from Glasgow. What a brilliant city, I loved it. I like doing these tiny drawings of everyday life into my sketchbook, just little slices of normality which mean more to me than ever before afterContinue reading “Waiting At The Station”

Painting From A Drawing

I’m starting to paint my own work now, after 18 months of copying great artists with Ed Sumner’s Cheese and Wine Painting Club on Facebook. I did a pastel drawing when I was visiting the Lake District last week and I’m developing it into a painting. Here’s a section of it, using Liquitex Heavy BodyContinue reading “Painting From A Drawing”

Scoffing And Sketching

Husb and I went to Glasgow last week, for the first time. What a fabulous city. I loved it. We did the touristy bit, visiting the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (fabulous), the Necropolis (fabulous) and lunching at the famous Willows Tearooms (fabulous). We only had two days there but just enough to convince usContinue reading “Scoffing And Sketching”

Little World In The Woods

I’ve been on holiday, visiting relatives in the North of England, a lovely break from the pandemic routine and the first time I’ve seen my family in about 18 months – too long but there we go. My littlest relative took me to see his special place in the local woods. He calls it GarlicvilleContinue reading “Little World In The Woods”

Been On Holiday

Husb and I have been on holiday, visiting relatives in Cumbria, the Lake District. We spent some time in Ulverston, one of our favourite places, almost 750 years old and the birthplace of the comedy actor Stan Laurel. We came across these two, masked up, in an alleyway in Ulverston, close by the town’s LaurelContinue reading “Been On Holiday”

Africa In Madeira

  Husb and I spent a few days in Madeira, an amazing place, and we went and explored the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens and Museum in Funchal, after a crazy ride up the mountain in a cable car swinging wildly in the wind.   There’s a fabulous permanent exhibition, “African Passion” from sculptors from ZimbabweContinue reading “Africa In Madeira”

A Bit Of A Lift

Husb and I have spent a few days in Madeira, a gorgeous mountainous island in the Atlantic. The climate is wonderful so we set out with a picnic and drawing materials to climb and explore the upper reaches of Camara do Lobos. The little terracotta tiled houses are scattered higgledy piggledy up the steep slopes,Continue reading “A Bit Of A Lift”