A photograph for a change...

It's impossible not to paint the woods I live in. An old Edward Hopper quote... paint your surroundings. I have spent so long trying to work out what to paint and gave in and just painted what is outside my front door...

I swear, when I look in your eyes I can see your soul...

I have been working on this for ages and learnt so much... one thing is to keep going and going, then, keep going. I wish I knew when the moment arrives when you can say OK i'm there time and then stop. I stopped because I needed a nice cup of tea and a sit down...

Dance like nobody is watching...

A little bit of sunshine for you! Just so you know I do have bright colours in my paintbox...

Pass in Time...

I'm back in the woods again, working with acrylic on canvas this time. There is paint all over the place! I like splattering it on the canvas but for some reason it goes in other places too?!

God knows what is hiding, in that world of little consequence ...

The best pictures are the ones that come and find you, rather than the ones you go looking for don't you think? I have found a new place to people watch - Whisby Nature Reserve. I swear, I have no idea what these people spend an age looking at. It must have been good, they had all the necessary equipment for recording their sightings... Me? pen, bit of paper... and a rather nice Latte :-)

Sigh no more ...

I'm back after a break that was way too long! Happily painting again.

Carholme Road, Lincoln

I got up early one morning, frosty, but a strong low sun. On the road into Lincoln is the old racecourse which has a row of trees running down both sides, I had been meaning to paint this scene for ages and will go back and do this one again, it lacks something ...

When I get home ...

I'm not sure I have shared this painting... it might look familiar as I used some of it for my site logo. I used bathroom tile adhesive mixed with acylic paint to create a bit of texture, it's not fell off the canvas yet!

Take a man of an impressionable age ...

There is a crescent of fabulous buildings at the front of Lincoln Cathedral, if you approach it from the side you miss out all the newer buidings within your eyeline and it is like walking back in time. Drop a sprinkle of snow and it becomes Dickensian. I went out with friends one night before Christmas, as it began snowing heavily I set off walking up the hill to collect my car. I was passing the floodlit Cathedral as people were coming out from a late carol service. I have never seen anything so festive in my days. It is now March and minus five degrees. Now I'm no sceptic but if we are entering a period of global warming, why am I so bloody cold!!!! Love the snow, also love the sun, more of that please! I was in London the other weekend and called at my favourite art shop and picked up some new pens, a set of Letraset promarkers all varoius shades of cool grey. Had a wonderful time with them in my Moley. I'm going back to get a set of warm orange pens ready for the scorching summer that our political people insist we are contributing to.

Walking out of stride...

Still not painting and sketching like I know I should be. I found some charcoal in my studio, an old piece of sponge and an eraser and played around for a bit. I took some photos on the North Yorkshire Moors and dug those out to work with. It's messy but fun!

You're twistin' my melon man, you know you talk so hip man ...

A happy 21st birthday to this painting i did of Portland St in Manchester. I worked over the road in Minshull Street and loved this row of mismatched buildings, happy days!

Give me something to believe in ...

2010 is turning out to be a toughie! I'll keep sketching while it gets better.

If you love the life you live ...

I'm working in my new Moleskine and pretending its not an object of desire that can't be tarnished with bad art. I like the way that the paper 'cockles' when you put water on it - not so perfect now are you, hmmm?... Beth has gone to Max's birthday party with all his mates, she won't be staying for the sleepover................

You took my dreams from me ...

Well that's Christmas stuffed back in the loft for another year! I saw the pile of boxes and thought a drawing would delay the climb up the ladder... I'm not scared of lofts, no siree... I fall off ladders. Did it in the summer pruning the climber on the wall above the kitchen window... spent the rest of the week walking around like an old man. Well an old man with a sore butt, I normally walk round like an old man. The boxes are safely in the loft, I'm now having a nice sit down and a cup of tea.

Winter winds ...

Merry Christmas one and all! I am so full and hung over... I made the biggest bowl of sprouts with Christmas dinner, I swear there were more left over than I started with. I put them on to boil around October and they were still hard when I served them up. Funny little fellas they are... who decided they would be good to eat at Christmas? All the very best to you during the festive hols, I'm off for a lie down...