Sketches from an old photograph - High Seas in Brighton

I was a student at Sussex University between 1989 and 1992, and even then I had an interest in pictures of waves crashing onto beaches. I recently rediscovered a short series of very grainy photographs taken on 110 film during a storm on Brighton seafront.

I couldn't resist trying to improve upon the images...

Big LEGO Robin Hood

LITHE and listen, Gentlemen,
That be of free-born blood:
I shall you tell of a good yeoman,
His name was Robin Hood.

So begins the earliest surviving ballad concerning the proud outlaw who shall forever be associated with Sherwood Forest (A Little Geste of Robin Hood and his Meiny).

Once upon a time - nearly three years ago - I painted a small version of this minifigure. This is a much larger commission, brush-painted on a 50 cm square box canvas. The edges are painted Lincoln Green (well, a mixture of Phthalo Green and Lemon Yellow).

Acrylic on canvas, 50 x 50 cm
SOLD

Surfin' - SOLD

This is based on a series of shots taken on Porthtowan beach. I was just after waves when I was taking the photographs, but this surfer strode into shot and he belonged in the picture. His silhouette against the sea suggested this "black line" style (used in the school murals and Kingsclere Gallops, influenced by Fauvism).

Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 50 cm
22 October 2014
SOLD

Tree near Ladle Hill (December)

There's this tree on the downs. It's between The Beeches and Ladle Hill, and it's very striking.

Outside The English Barn - SOLD

This is based on a monochrome photograph that I took over a decade ago.

Last orders on Porthtowan

This is a detail from the Really Big Canvas, AKA Porthtowan. A new detail.

Curve - SOLD

The starting point for this was a photograph taken from the beach at Porthtowan when I was there to look at the view from East Cliff.

Trees and Seeds

This is a drawing made from a photograph that I took last Wednesday as I headed out on a longish walk on the downs. The trees may look familiar; they are the "Skyline" trees on Plantation Hill, featured in several of my paintings and drawings.

Some abstracts that I found lurking in a shoebox

Pink

Overgrowth

Both from last autumn, both 5 x 7 inch oils that started off as palette scrapings...

Egg Custard Tart

I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that this particular sort of egg custard tart - deep-filled, dusted with cinnamon, encased in pastry whose waxy texture is like no other, presented in a foil cup case - is uniquely British.

They are rather delicious. In a comfort-food sort of way.

Egg Custard Tart
Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 26 cm

Online portfolio / print catalogue

I took advantage of a special offer from Bonusprint to put together a portfolio volume of "Recent Work". It also has a complete print catalogue at the back, including greetings cards. The print version (which hasn't arrived yet) came with a free online book, which you can look at here.