
Discovering new colours
Studio NotesDo you find that you are always attracted to the same colours?
It may be colours you choose to wear, or to decorate your home. If you are a painter you will almost certainly have a colour palette that feels personal and natural to you.
Some…

Burnt Umber, Manganese Blue and Hansa Yellow Light
Studio NotesBurnt Umber
Manganese Blue
Hansa Yellow Light
My first colour choice was completely random. Although nothing is really random so something must have directed me... Ok then...
Burnt Umber: because it is a staple colour and I needed somthing…

Colour mixing for April
Studio NotesMy life needs simplifying!
The first two months of #365create I have taken a random approach; a drawing while out and about, photographs, parts of larger paintings, getting ready for the Studio Show... And while this gives a good glimpse…

Trust in emergence
Studio NotesAny drawing is a process of interpreting what you see rather than what you think you see. Our brains are so strong in their collection of pre-conceived images that it can be hard to filter out what we know and instead draw what we are really…

This is the end my friend
Studio NotesI know he was a genius but I have to disagree with Leonardo da Vinci.
Apparently he once wrote;
Art is never finished, only abandoned.
...which strikes me as a rather defeatist way of deciding when a piece of work is complete. But if getting…

Collecting colours on a photo walk
Studio NotesIf you expect 'being creative' is the same as being productive you are expecting too much.
Part of the process is simply a conscious awareness. An awareness of surroundings and influences so that you choose which of these are relevant and which…

Why you shouldn’t be scared of a creative detour
Studio NotesAny creative journey is a strange balance between knowing where you are going and being open to new things along the way.
On Thursday I headed off to see the Works on Paper show which is currently on at the Science Museum in London. A lot…

Magic contact lenses and how we see
Studio NotesI love my magic contact lenses. I wear them during the night and they correct my vision so that when I remove them in the morning I can see - what could be more magic! Unfortunately they don't do all the hard work for me and there are still…
Manchester Art Fair 2022
Studio NotesManchester Art Fair delivers a curated mix of acclaimed galleries and independent artists, blurring the boundaries between traditional and contemporary, creating a friendly, unpretentious and uniquely Northern art-buying experience. Last year was my first time showing at this fair and it was a blast, so I’m pleased to be back with all new paintings. I’ll […]