Old Man.

Dad

Yesterday, 16 months after he died, we cremated my Dad. He left his body to medical research and they recently returned it. I knew the day was coming, but with the rough and tumble of life, I hadn't thought a great deal about it, so it sort of crept up on me. What could have been a strange day (funeral part 2) was actually a really nice service. Credit to that must go to the vicar who pitched it perfectly. I'm very grateful. They were good friends and I think that came across.

Michael

Kath and Michael

Innominate

 

Changes

This canvas has had several different paintings on it which for one reason or another I haven't liked - so I've painted over them. The river scene below, which was of the River Laver at Hell Wath in Ripon, was painted on top of a view of Coppergate in York, which was painted on top of... I forget. Anyway, I didn't much like this painting and so when I wanted to have a play around with oils again at home (a break from the wax), I used this canvas. I have a lot of paintings stacked up at home, gathering dust in the studio. I intend painting over quite a few of them.

Untitled 

Time and Tide

Time and tide act to reveal or conceal, depending on when and how you catch them. On reflection, that is what this painting is about to me.

Time and Tide.

Encaustic

Cleveland Way

This is a painting of an abandoned farm on the Cleveland Way. It was painted after I 'found it' on a walk with Hector. The walk, about ten miles, was eventful in a couple of ways. As I approached this farm I noticed a guy talking close-up photos of tree stumps and fence posts. Clearly another artist. I introduced myself and we had a nice chat; he was interested in the textures on the weathered wood. If memory serves, he lives in Haxby.

The second 'event' happened as Hector and I were walking back, through an enclosed field. We were attacked by a horse, which wasn't there on the way out. It was massive...with big hairy fetlocks. Hector was scared, as was I. The only thing that gave it pause was when I turned to face it (showed it my warface). As soon as I turned to walk away it started trying to kick us again. Anyway, we survived.

This was painted at halfterm.

Abandoned Farm; Cleveland Way

Encaustic

The Grand Canal?

 This was painted at the start of half term, about three weeks ago. As I was painting it I had the allotments in Easingwold in mind. By the time I got to this stage it looked more like moorings on the grand canal - to my mind at least.

Squall

I'm a little conflicted at the moment. To paint or not to paint? Oil or wax? Large or small?
This one is a small piece, in wax.

Squall