A Christmas Eve Reflection

2019 has been quite a year. Being Artist in Residence at the Yorkshire Arboretum on the Castle Howard Estate was a wonderful privilege and helped produce some of my best work to date. It is easy to see how The Yorkshire Arboretum is twinned with Kew, as trees and avenues, hidden spaces and gardens within gardens reveal themselves - constantly changing colour and form throughout the seasons. The physical conditions were challenging as I had to transport materials a long way in all weathers but it is a special experience to paint landscape in situ. Something of the essence of place is recorded and painting on Birch ply seemed a fitting material to record the many languages of trees.

The year finished with a solo exhibition at Helmsley Arts Centre which was the first place I exhibited twenty four years ago. So it was a rather lovely, cosy 'Coming Home.'

I have already begun my new collection for an exhibition with Sally Anne Fitter at Cambridge Contemporary Gallery in May 2020. This should be a very lively, rich exhibition and an interesting combination between one of my favourite contemporary artists and myself. Exciting new painting courses are planned for the New Year too; A 'Watercolour with a difference' Still Life course at Helmsley Walled Garden and two Landscape painting courses in the Water Gardens at Studley Royal, Fountains Abbey.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me in 2019. I am looking forward to sharing some exciting new work with you in 2020. There are some (still secret) projects planned using cutting edge technology (which is something for a technophobe). You might be able to 'walk through' my paintings some time soon...watch this space...