A lovestruck Romeo, in Sorrento

At the end of April I was lucky enough to have a weekend in Sorrento, Italy, with my sisters.
The weather was a bit iffy so I did not go sketching but I took some photos.
We spent a wonderful day exploring Pompeii, and in the evening back in Sorrento I spotted this Tavern Allegra, down a quiet alley that looked straight out of Pompeii.

I took a photo and worked from it when I got back. Imagining my Romeo by his Vespa and my Juliet on the balcony, about to put her washing out, and remembering all the wonderful colours on the walls at Pompeii.

The Hearth, (the Bus Station) Lewes

rough sketch of a plan for the painting

drawn out on heavy weight watercolour paper and the first colours washed on

close up on the detail

finished! Blue Skies, Buses and The Bakery

all framed and cards made

 The old bus station in Lewes is a fantastic building with an american feel. There was once a cafe up top and newsagent and sweet shop downstairs, which went the way of many old shop and closed up. But the bus station building has been brought back to life with a lovely bakery and a Pizza restaurant upstairs with Sour Dough pizzas that are getting rave reviews!
To give a nostalgic feel I brought back an old green and cream Southdown Bus!

The Old Tobacco Shop - Fribourg and Treyer, Haymarket, London

first all drawn out in pencil

then on goes the pen

the first colours are the easy ones...

Here is the finished painting

 I have had my eye on this beautiful and historic old shop front in London's Haymarket. The large bow windows were once a regular sight on London's streets but the law was changed and shops were no longer allowed such large bays. This may be the oldest shopfront in London, still in use as a shop, and it sits on a very busy Haymarket with tourists and workers rushing past on their way to Leicester square and around the west end, rushing past. I wonder how many have stopped to look at the building!
Once tobacconists to royalty, Fribourg and Treyer had traded here for centuries, only closing around 30 years ago. it is well worth a visit inside the shop which is now a Souvenir shop, to see all the original shelves, doors and fittings, even a glass dividing screen. Imagine what this shop has seen over the years!