Cobblers, Lewes - first sketch

I have a picture in my head of the Cobblers shop in Lewes, at night...with elves making shoes...

This little shop is a rarity these days, a real cobbler working with traditional methods and materials.People send their shoes down to him from London!

 The little shop sits between two roads in Lewes, North Street and Market Street. I love the fact that the two street signs are either side of the cobbler! Which one should Cobblers be in?

You approach cobblers directly from West Street as you travel the one way system...this is the view you get with the Needlemakers to your right, just before you bend round to the left and find Chalk Gallery.

I havent found out the history of the building yet...maybe it was previously access to a yard behind the other buildings? Hope to find something out before I paint it.

I have just to decide how to colour the glowing light...and how to colour the Chalk Cliffe which can be seen in the background, a famous Lewes landmark.

a little boy and a big splash

not much time for big paintings now...have been tidying up for christmas and packing the paints away.
this little pic was a quickie for a little boy who loves his dogs..

Finished the Lewes office this morning...nice to think of summer sun and sunshine again.

Work in progress on Lewes commission

Here is today's progress on my Lewes office. I started the day finishing off my drawing in pen, and followed throughout the day with the base colours in watercolour. Tomorrow when I have got some light again, I will have some fun with the "popping" colours...yellows, oranges, greens and pinks! 

A Class Taxis image

A little image for a lady driver taxi service ... guess where!

couple on the beach

A little sunny picture to warm me up on a dull day! Memories of summer, and thoughts of summers to come!..

A little sketch to adda little sunshine to my blog. Think I will make the bucket red, and the pebbly beach a bit more yellow..

Sleeping and reading on the train..more sketches on the way up to London and back

Tower 42 - Nat West Tower - Sketching day

It was a portrait day in my sketchbook yesterday! The nature of the building we were sketching from just stayed with the way I held my book, even though it was a fab panorama!

 Second sketch of the day was down in the Engine room. It was dark and slightly creepy down here, away from the bright sunshine and skyline. Maintenance were working and calling out the odd code, and there was just the sound of dripping..The machines started to look like monsters about to come to life!

 The Gherkin, this was sketched in the morning, and my first sketch of the day. My lines are a bit more wooly, as it takes a while for me to get in to it!! As I was sketching away I suddenly spotted the O2 in the distance. It wasnt where I expected to see it! can you spot it peeping out?

Final sketch of the day was the most enjoyable! We were sitting up in Vertigo on floor 42, with the most amazing view! We watched the sunset over London to the sounds of a Brazilian Bosa Nova!
I would like to work this up in to a painting. I started this drawing at the building just next to the Monument, you can see the line is a bit light and hesitant here. Gradually I got in to it, and my favourite bit of all has to be the church joining Cornhill and Gracechurch Street. Back overlooking the stomping ground of one great g g g g (not sure how many x) Grandfather,that ran that pub in Gracechurch Street. Imagine what he would think of it now!....

Plans for latest commission

We had a great weekend at the Chailey and Newick Painting Group. Lots and lots of lovely visitors and good sales of paintings and cards.
I said goodbye to two of my paintings. One is travelling to the other side of the world, and the other just up the road!
I was an artist in action at the exhibition, so I took the opportunity to plan out my latest commission.

Getting ready for Chailey & Newick Painting Exhibition this weekend

All labelled up and ready...one more to come, that I finished today, being framed at the moment.

Now I just have to make some more cards, and my CAKE !

English's Brighton in the snow..finished!

Here is a photo of the painting I finished this evening. Took the photo with flash so the colours are a bit off, but I will possibly be getting a giclee print of this one, so will have a much better image soon, to make cards from and add lots of glitter!

Eastbourne Bandstand Jigsaw Puzzle for FOEH

I got the final puzzle at the Friends of Eastbourne Hospital Coffee morning this morning.

That means they have sold all of their first batch, but they will be getting some more, which is really good news.

Now I wonder, will this puzzle be harder to complete than it was to draw?

We will fight them on the beaches!!

Englishs Brighton, in the snow

I am revisiting this area of Brighton at the bottom of the Lanes, for another snowy scene. Here it is, all drawn out, ready for  a splattering of snow and some colour.
I have also been experimenting with acrylics on some little box canvases, which are being painted to raise money for the Peace Project at Chalk Gallery. I am going to mix up a little resin for these today, so fingers crossed...I will post the results later!!

Another train sketch

on the way up to the View from the Shard on Tuesday, I had another sketch on the train. It was only later that I realised that my sketch on the left page of the book actually joined well with the previous sketch on the right...it wasnt planned!

The Royal Visit - The Queen and Prince Philip visit Harveys Brewery, Lewes

Today is the day...a right Royal visit to Lewes. Hope that the Queen and Prince Philip get their Harvey's Crate to take back to the palace!

House and Family portrait commission

Here is the other commission that I finished recently, and I can now share on here.

One little dog likes to take their daughter for a walk! The other is happiest watching the world go by from a comfy spot in the front window!

Commission for Plumpton Racecourse staff

Now I can show you a painting I finished recently on commission by the staff at Plumpton Racecourse, as a leaving present.
All the team and directors were to be in the picture, and Claire's dog, who often accompanies her to work.
The astro turf isn't being strimmed, by the way, although I realise now that it looks a bit like it is!!

more sketching on a train

On the way up to London midday Wednesday

On the way home around 10pm Wednesday

Hooray! A day in London full of self indulgence with three exhibitions to visit, and sketchbook in bag.

The first train I got on heading to Victoria was so full and I was squeezed into a group of four seats with three lads. Sketching just wasnt going to happen here, so I hopped off at Haywards Heath and got the Bedford train, which was actually a much more sensible option as I could travel direct to Black

friars with no need for underground.

Anyway, this train had much more room and i was able to sketch the man opposite me who happily had his nose in the paper. Another couple joined him at Gatwick and they were deep in conversation. Sketching makes the journey fly!!

After a wonderful day with trips to The Cheapside Hoard at the Museum of London, the Illustration exhibition at the British Library and finally a wander around the gorgeous Affordable Art Fair at Battersea, I was able to sketch again on my way home.

Fab day... 

Market Street life - Lewes Food Market in winter

Here is my latest painting...a wintery snowy version of a painting done some time ago, of the Lewes Friday Food Market, at the Old Market Tower, in Market Street, Lewes.
I love painting snow for a change, and little gloves and wellies on my people!
Spot the bargain just picked up from the Lewes Flea Market, down the road...

Plumpton Crossing Gates and Signal Box

Plumpton's historic and listed signal box and manually operated gates are under threat from modernisation. Sadly we might not see this scene next year, so I thought I would paint it for Christmas. I have brought back the steam train and the signal box posters of old, but brought them in with 21st century Plumpton walkers.
I had some very rough handmade paper by Two Rivers. It suited the snow, and I fancied painting something a bit more, free. The paper just suited what I had in mind. I see a few things to finish, I have left the top off my signal...but I must try not to get too wrapped up in detail for a change!!....

Cards for Good Causes now open in Lewes

The Cards for Good Causes shop is now open in Lewes, just down Fisher Street, behind Ask, just off the High Street. They currently have my Winter Cheer card in stock (detailed above) featuring Harveys Brewery and  carol singers on Cliffe Bridge on a snowy winter afternoon.
They should have my new Lewes Castle Gate Carollers card in stock later this week.

Market Street life - George Justice

and finished! A bit further down the road, George Justice goes about business as it has for over one hundred years...

Market Street life - Famiglia

Finished...a warm and friendly spot for lunch in Market Street, Lewes.

Market Street Life..starting the paint washes

It was a dark and dreary day today, and I started the day painting all the shades of grey. It was good when I could cheer things up (if only on the paper) with some bright blue skies. The colours are a bit exaggerated here because the photo was taken in pretty dull conditions!

I am looking forward to a bright new tomorrow now, and I can start laying on some more cheery colours!

sketching on the train

I have had several London trips recently, and I have been furtively sketching other passengers. Trying to do it without them noticing!
I have been enjoying the graphitint pencil, and using a water brush to wash over the lines and bring in sone tone and soft shadow.
I also love the wobbly line that the motion of the train gives. I think it adds some life to the drawing.
I want to keep travelling now..it's becoming addictive!

Cyclist and friends in Market Street, Lewes

Here is a closer look at the Cyclist in Market Street...spot her passenger?

Market Street life 2 - George Justice, Lewes

another sketch and drawing, of another very long established business in Market Street, Lewes.
I can't wait to get painting!

Market Street life - Lewes, Famiglia

I have been beavering away on a couple of paintings for the next Chalk Gallery hang, having just finished some commissions, which I can put on here later in the month.
There are lots of little businesses in Market Street, Lewes, and this one always catches my eye (and my nose!!)
All drawn out now and ready to paint. Not much change from sketch to drawing, but I have included the very edges of the buildings on the opposite sides of the road, to give the painting the feel of being in a very narrow street.

Lots of painting going on..

I have just finished a commission which I cant show, yet...and am half way through another. I have just roughed a couple of sketches for some Lewes shops too. So many things I want to paint! It is getting harder now the darker nights are closing in, giving me less time in the day!
Here is a little peek at one of the commissions I am currently painting, as it was earlier today. Once again I am enjoying watching paint dry!!

Looking closer at The Cockpit, Blackfriars

I went to the preview last night, of the Society of Graphic Fine Art Exhibition at the Menier Gallery, in Southwark Street, London Bridge. My painting of the Cockpit is exhibited there for the next two weeks.
I was happy to overhear a couple of ladies discussing my picture...they really were looking, because they had spotted William Shakespeare (who had lived where The Cockpit now stands) and they even spotted my Juliet!
Thanks girls you made my night!

Layers of London

Went to London Bridge to deliver my painting today to the Menier Gallery at the Old Chocolate Factory (mmm) Then wandered the city for a few hours. Here is a photo which sums up why I love wandering London. Just all the layers of history jumbled up together! from Clay pipes, broken pot and animal bones to the tip of The Shard...

sketching in London

Here is a little sketch I completed on a bright and breezy Saturday on the South Bank recently. A few showers came whilst I was sketching, but it was mostly lovely and sunny and I enjoyed my time sitting watching the world come and go!!  There will be a sketching trip up Tower 42, just right of centre in my pic, in November...so watch this space for the view from over there!

another house and garden portrait

Here is another sunny garden recently completed...lots of these commissions keeping me busy at the moment!

Recent commissions - House and Family Portraits

House, family and car in this portrait

House portrait, family, and other interests included

tiny garden visitors

Here are images from a couple of commissions that I completed during the summer. I couldnt show them before now...as they were presents.
Personal interests and hobbies are often included in the paintings, which makes a commission even more personal.