End of Year News

'Conversations in the Turkish Baths,' 16 x 20ins, oil and acrylic on canvas

Three of my figure paintings have been selected for a show in January, at the Art Pull gallery in Tunbridge Wells (opening Jan 14th). Two of the paintings are inspired by the many visits I made to the old Turkish Baths in Nicosia, Cyprus. I painted in the Baths over a five year period, gathering visual information in sketches and watercolours which I have used for my compositions back in the UK. The other painting is from my 'One Among Many' series, which concerns the idea of people being lost in the vastness and impersonal aspects of today's world. I am attaching a few of these paintings, and also one of my abstracts, as this will likely be my last entry this year.

'Women and Doors in the Turkish Baths,' oil and acrylic on canvas, 24 x 18ins

I am going to Cyprus on December 30th, to spend some time with my mother-in-law, and get some sunshine! The UK weather lurches from bad to worse, and as I write there is torrential rain and strong winds. I am planning to do some watercolours while I am in Nicosia as the brilliant quality of light will be inspiring. But I'm already playing about with new ideas for when I return. The end of a year is always very positive because it seems to underline where you are, and I find myself tidying up my artwork emotionally, cutting off from paintings, finishing paintings, and seeing January as a time to move forwards!

'One Among Many,' oil and acrylic on canvas, 43 x 32ins

Before I go away, I'm racing to get my book finished and submitted to Kindle, but time is running out. The days before Christmas seem to be shorter than days at any other time of the year! I have designed my cover - which was easier than I had imagined - and used one of my paintings on it. So if I can finish my final 40 pages of editing, the book should be ready to submit before the end of 2013.

'Paintscape,' oil and acrylic on board, 24 x 18ins

New Directions

'Surfing on Paint,' acrylic on board, 60 x 45cm

On December 3rd, the group exhibition of SEE artists (South East England artists) opened at the Art Pull gallery, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. I have a painting in the show, one that I felt represented me well. The Private View was packed with people and some had to stand outside on the pavement. My painting was displayed on a wall near the glass front of the gallery so it had good light, (important for my colours).

With lots of new paintings on the go, I have also just finished an application for a painting residency in the US next year. It is a wonderful chance to work for a month with other painters, and to have a large studio and the time (and quiet) to focus intensely on my  ideas. I feel that I could do so much in this kind of setting. I am also applying for two residencies in Scotland (a very beautiful environment). All these applications take a lot of time, and competition is very strong, but at this stage in my career I feel that I need a period of time for research.I would like to take these colour ideas (or what I term 'surfing on paint,') onto larger canvases, and see where they lead. I believe that my work is changing and I'm excited about the new direction!