New work

I’ve just completed a new drawing called ‘Left Behind’ which features an abandoned caravan that I discovered during a day of urban exploring a few years ago. This was just opposite a derelict ceramics factory that I also painted; ‘Inside Out’. There’s something quite absurd but also sad about seeing an old caravan dumped in nature and covered in graffiti. It makes me wonder who owned it and where it travelled for their holidays. The drawing was made using a combination of pencil, graphitint and watercolour pencils.

I have several other ideas on the go at the moment including a drawing of a shipwreck I found in Ireland last year. As I work in several different mediums, it can be difficult to decide sometimes how to approach each idea. Some things seem to suggest a drawing and others a painting.

I’ve also pondered the idea of making a series of work linked by a theme. I like the idea of writing some music to go along with the work but I’m not yet sure how it will sound. At least with the new studio I have space to try out all these ideas!

Exhibitions

I am exhibiting my work a lot just lately.

My graphitint drawing ‘Ruin at Strathpeffer’ is currently on display at the RBSA Gallery in Birmingham as part of the currently Drawing Prize exhibition. It runs until the 28th June.

My exhibition, ‘Hiraeth’, is currently running at the Foxlowe Arts Centre in Leek. It is a joint show with printmaker Karen Wicks and features drawings, paintings and printmaking inspired by abandoned or remote buildings. It runs until the 9th August.

I have three pieces of work featured in the ‘A Post Industrial Picturesque’ exhibition at Brampton Museum and Art Gallery. It is a group show and starts on the 28th June.

My acrylic painting ‘Universal’ has been selected for the Three Counties Open Exhibition in The Ballroom at Fenton Hall. The show has been organised by Keele University and starts on the 9th August.

In other news, I have a new drawing and painting in progress and it’s going well!

New drawing

Today I completed a new graphitint drawing based on a derelict building I discovered in Strathpeffer in The Highlands. I discovered the building by chance when on holiday last year and was really struck by how interesting the place was. The house had been destroyed by fire and was now surrounded by nature which grew up the walls and through the centre of the structure. I’ve titled the drawing ‘Ruin at Strathpeffer’ and you can view it in the ‘Abandoned Spaces’ section of this website.

New Year, New Opportunities

Happy New Year! Thank you to everyone who supported me in 2024, whether that was buying a piece of my art, attending a class or workshop or just sharing words of encouragement.

My art classes start back next week. I teach a range of drawing and painting mediums to people of all abilities including beginners. If you are interested in joining one of my groups, get in touch and I will see if I can fit you in. I also have a drawing workshop coming up at Brampton Museum and Art Gallery on the 1st February which is ideal if you want to learn how to draw or develop an existing skill.

I am nearing the end of a new drawing which is going well and have a new oil painting planned which I’m really looking forward to.

I wish you all an inspiring and creative 2025!

Current Exhibitions

2024 is a busy year for exhibitions it seems.

My painting, 'Flux’ is currently in the Three Counties Open Exhibition at The Burslem School of Art. The show runs until the 24th August.

My drawings, ‘Springfield Brewery’ and ‘Return’ will feature in the ‘Making Marks’ exhibition at Patchings Art Centre in Nottinghamshire. This is a group show with the Birmingham Art Circle and runs until the 29th September.

I will be showing several drawings and paintings in the ‘Cut to the Chase’ exhibition at the Museum of Cannock Chase. This is a joint exhibition with Lisa Henderson and David Gleeson and it will run until the 12th October.

Do pop down and take a look at the work if you can!

SGFA Membership

I am happy to announce that I have been asked to become a full member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art (SGFA). I have been an associate member for three years now and in that time have taken part in several exhibitions with the society. Drawing is a very important part of my practice and so it is great to be part of an organisation that focuses on that. I’ve been impressed with the standard of work by the other members and feel inspired whenever I see their art.

Drawing is something that has been with me since I was first able to pick up a pencil. It’s something that feels natural and is very enjoyable. I will be running a few drawing workshops over the next few months which will be aimed at all abilities including complete beginners. Learning to draw teaches us to look more closely at the world around us and helps us to see beauty and fascination with even the smallest of things.

Exhibitions

It’s been a busy year so far with plenty of other things planned over the next few months. My exhibition, ‘Quiet Spaces’ was positively received at The New Vic Theatre and I have more shows coming up soon.

My acrylic painting, ‘Outside In’ is currently on display as part of the Summer Exhibition at the RBSA Art Gallery in Birmingham. It features a variety of work by artists from across the UK.

I have three drawings in ’A Fine Line' - the Art of Drawing’, a group show with members of the Society of Graphic Fine Art. The exhibition starts on the 29th June at The Courtney Gallery in Ashbourne. I will be running a drawing workshop there on the 7th July so why not give it a go?

I will be exhibiting a few pieces of work in ‘Cut to the Chase’, an exhibition celebrating the beauty and atmosphere of Cannock Chase Forest. The show starts on the 24th August at The Museum of Cannock Chase and includes work by David Gleeson and Lisa Henderson. I will be running a drawing workshop in connection with the show.

I’m currently working on a commission and also a new urban landscape.

New Life

I have just completed a new graphitint drawing, titled ‘New Life’. This piece was inspired by a chance encounter with a fallen tree during a walk with the family. My son remarked that he found it interesting how nothing is wasted in nature as the dead tree would become a habitat for new life forms.

I would imagine most people would not find dead trees particularly beautiful but I think when looked at from a certain perspective, they can be as fascinating and decorative as those thriving. When looking at nature I like to look at everything, new and old.

’New Life’ can be viewed in the ‘Woodland’ section of my website.

Quiet Spaces

I currently have a solo exhibition at The New Vic Theatre in Newcastle under Lyme. It features a selection of my work, 21 pieces in total, with a mix of urban and natural landscapes. I used to think that these two strands were quite different but really, both are about the power of nature and our relationship with the environment. The abandoned buildings are places that show traces of human activity and in our absence, nature starts to take over. In my natural landscapes you can see evidence of human interaction with the space. None of the pictures however, feature people and this gives the work a quiet and contemplative mood.

The exhibition runs until the 15th June and is free to view. Do pop down and take a look.

Exhibitions and New work

My drawing ‘Waiting’ is currently on display at the RBSA Drawing exhibition in Birmingham. This is the first time the gallery have dedicated an exhibition entirely to drawing and it’s a very strong show. It runs until the 14th October.

My recent oil painting, ‘Serenity’ has been selected for the forthcoming ‘Broadway Arts Festival’ which runs from the 6th to the 15th October. The show takes place at Bretforton Theatrebarn in the Cotswolds.

I’ve been working on some new drawings inspired by Llanfair Slate Caverns in North Wales. I’ve just completed a second one which you can view on this website. For this piece I combined washes of graphitint with layers of Conte carbon pencil which has give the work a bolder look than the first one. I like them both in different ways.

RBSA Drawing Prize 2023

I am pleased to announce that my drawing ‘Waiting’ has been selected for the RBSA Drawing Prize. This piece depicts a misty scene at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. Although I have produced quite a few pieces of work of the area, I feel that this one is perhaps my favourite drawing of the series. It captures a very quiet and dream like state which I really like.

The exhibition starts 5th September and runs until the 15th October. The RBSA Gallery is in Birmingham within St Pauls Square. Do pop down and take a look.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

2021 was a busy year as usual. My time was split between working in my studio, exhibiting my art and teaching.

I produced quite a few drawings last year working mostly in either pencils or ink pen and also developed my painting technique. I have started working in oils again which I think has had some impact on my acrylics because my brushwork has slightly changed. My aim is to get better each time and to push myself as an artist. I’m never short of ideas and have plenty of ideas to work through!

I worked on a couple of commissions which I enjoyed and the clients were happy.

Late on in 2021 I became an Associate Member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art (SGFA) who are based in London. This is a good opportunity to work with other artists who enjoy drawing and to exhibit with them. I have also continued to be a member of the Birmingham Art Circle who are supportive and very approachable.

My art classes continue to be popular and I have helped a lot of students develop their work and become more confident. I have run my own workshops as well as some at Bullclough Art School. I also delivered workshops at schools and helped the pupils develop their projects.

My diary for 2022 is starting to fill up and I have plenty of plans for the year. Keep checking my website and social media channels for my updates. Let’s have an inspiring year!

SGFA

I have just been accepted as an Associate Member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art. (SGFA). This is a great opportunity to meet new artists and it will also mean more opportunities to exhibit my work. Drawing is a big part of my practice and so it’s good to be involved with an organisation who focus on that.

I have had drawings in the last two SGFA Open Exhibitions and look forward to working with them on a more regular basis. Take a look at their website to find out more.

'Guard House' selected for the Annual SGFA Exhibition

I am pleased to announce that my ink drawing, ‘Guard House’, has been selected for the Society of Graphic Fine Art Annual Exhibition. The show will run 5th - 10th July 2021 at the Mall Galleries in London. It is good to be part of a show that focuses on drawing as it is a big part of what I do as an artist.

‘Guard House’ is part of a series of work focusing on war remains and features RAF Tilstock, an abandoned airbase near Whitchurch.

Whiskey 13

I have just completed a new ink pen drawing of ‘Whiskey 13’, a watch tower at the disused RAF Upper Heyford site. I feel the black and white look of the drawing suits the subject and the ink pens were good for capturing the battered surfaces. I used a variety of techniques on this piece and enjoyed the process.

I find the structures at the site to be quite haunting and yet rather beautiful in a way. It wasn’t just a case of describing the appearance of these structures but trying to capture the atmosphere of the site which is full of history. You can find the drawing and others in the series on the ‘War Remains’ page of this website.

New Work

I’m currently working on a few creative projects and the current lockdown has meant I have spent more time in my studio.

Today I have repaired one of my recent oil paintings, ‘After the Rain”, after it fell off a shelf. This is now fully restored and if anything, looks better than before. I am also working on a new oil painting featuring the GEC Factory that has recently been demolished in Stafford.

I have begun a new ink drawing based on one of the towers at RAF Upper Heyford. I have a new technique I want to try out on this piece which I think will work well.

I’m never bored!

HAS 7

I have been working on and off on a new pencil drawing for a few months now and have eventually got round to finishing it. It features one of the shelters at RAF Upper Heyford, a disused airbase in Oxfordshire. The building is known by the USAF as a ‘TAB-V (Theater Air Base Vulnerability Evaluation Exercise) Shelter’ but at Upper Heyford they referred to it as a ‘HAS’ (Hardened Aircraft Shelter). They were used to house combat ready jets during the Cold War.

I visited the site near the end of 2019 and it was a fascinating place to experience. I have quite a few research photos of the area which I’ve dipped into for inspiration on recent work. Some of the buildings on the site had been repurposed as storage buildings for local businesses whereas other structures are derelict and in poor repair.

My drawing, ‘HAS 7’, can be found in the ‘War Remains’ section of this website.

Happy New Year

Nobody needs reminding how difficult 2020 has been. We’ve all found it challenging and have coped in different ways. For me, I have largely shut off the news, spent more time in nature and focused on my art.

Despite all the disruption I have had several very positive moments throughout the year. I won first prize in the RBSA Open Art Competition, had work included in the Broadway Open, the Three Counties Open and the RBSA Prize exhibition. I held an online exhibition with Jemma Gunning and went urban exploring with her to find new subject matter for a third show.

In the Autumn I started working with Bullclough Art School, delivering ink pen and painting workshops. All being well, I will be running several more workshops there next year.

My drawing mostly focused on ink pens this year and I have produced some of my favourite work in this medium. Near the end of the year I started working in oil paints again for the first time in over twenty years and found it enjoyable.


My art classes will resume at the venues as soon as we are able to return. In the meantime I will be teaching online at the start of the year. New students are welcome to join.

Life is never completely bad or good - there’s always a mixture of the two. Challenges will come to us all and we just need to make the most of what we have. I feel next year we will see a gradual transition into a more ‘normal year’ as the vaccines roll out across the UK and I will continue to make more art. I am never bored!

'Guard House' selected for the RBSA Prize Exhibition 2020

I was pleased to find out today that my drawing, ‘Guard House’ has been selected for the RBSA Prize Exhibition 2020. This piece is based on RAF Tilstock, an abandoned airbase near Whitchurch. It was created during the lockdown period and is my favourite drawing I have made so far. It captures the feeling I had when I walked about the site and I enjoyed using the pens and ink washes to create the various surfaces.

The exhibition runs from the 8th October to the 21st November. Visit the RBSA website for more details.