I am pleased to announce that my ink drawing, ‘Guard House’, has been selected for the Society of Graphic Fine Art Annual Exhibition. The show will run 5th - 10th July 2021 at the Mall Galleries in London. It is good to be part of a show that focuses on drawing as it is a big part of what I do as an artist.
‘Guard House’ is part of a series of work focusing on war remains and features RAF Tilstock, an abandoned airbase near Whitchurch.
I have just completed a new ink pen drawing of ‘Whiskey 13’, a watch tower at the disused RAF Upper Heyford site. I feel the black and white look of the drawing suits the subject and the ink pens were good for capturing the battered surfaces. I used a variety of techniques on this piece and enjoyed the process.
I find the structures at the site to be quite haunting and yet rather beautiful in a way. It wasn’t just a case of describing the appearance of these structures but trying to capture the atmosphere of the site which is full of history. You can find the drawing and others in the series on the ‘War Remains’ page of this website.
I was pleased to find out today that my drawing, ‘Guard House’ has been selected for the RBSA Prize Exhibition 2020. This piece is based on RAF Tilstock, an abandoned airbase near Whitchurch. It was created during the lockdown period and is my favourite drawing I have made so far. It captures the feeling I had when I walked about the site and I enjoyed using the pens and ink washes to create the various surfaces.
The exhibition runs from the 8th October to the 21st November. Visit the RBSA website for more details.
I have just completed a new ink drawing of the old Universal factory that was a key landmark in Stafford until the recent demolition. It was a place of work for many of the residents in the area and is known by many people. I painted the factory a couple of years ago when it was still in use but even then it looked almost derelict and worn. The drawing captures the place partway through the demolition process. Now there is nothing left.
Universal II will feature in the Fragments II exhibition with Jemma Gunning.
I have just completed a new ink drawing based on RAF Tilstick, an abandoned World War 2 airbase near Whitchurch. The title of the piece is ‘Guard House’ and it can be found in the War Remains section of this website. It is part of an ongoing series of work based around war remains but also continues the theme of dereliction that has featured in my work for a long time now.
The building is from the same site that was featured in my ‘Union’ painting that recently won the RBSA Gallery Open Exhibition. This drawing was made using fine line pens and liquid black ink, a medium that takes a lot of concentration as it cannot be corrected once applied.
My next work will most likely feature RAF Upper Heyford, an airbase in Oxfordshire.
I’ve just completed a new drawing, ‘Brunswick Tower’, which features a structure located at RAF Upper Heyford, an abandoned airbase in Oxfordshire. This tower was situated by the weapons storage area and was occupied by a single member for 8 hour shifts at a time.
This piece was created using ink pens and watercolour. Normally my ink drawings are in black and white but I thought I would try a colour tint this time for a bit of variation. The work can be found in the ‘War Remains’ section of this website.
I have just completed a new drawing inspired by my recent visit to RAF Upper Heyford last year. The new piece is an ink drawing called ‘The Igloo’. The building in the picture was once used to store strategic nuclear bombs and the people on site used to refer these structures as igloos. I have been using ink pens quite a bit recently and using diluted black ink for tonal washes which i think works rather well. I will be working on more pieces from this visit soon.
I am currently working across several creative projects. Just recently I have been doing a lot of pen and ink work and have just completed a new drawing in this medium, ‘The Quiet Path’, which can be seen in the ‘Woodland II’ section of this website. This is a small drawing depicting Cannock Chase once again but in many ways it could be from many other forests around the UK. The point of most of my art is always more than what is on the surface and the forest is also an environment to lose yourself in and clear your mind. It’s a great source of inspiration and a very calming influence.
I’ve just completed a small ink pen drawing which will be heading to the Menier Gallery next month and will be part of a charity sale in aid of the Artist General Benevolant Institution. The drawing is called ‘Into the Light’ and is the size of a postcard.
My drawing, ‘Waiting’, will also be heading to The Menier Gallery as part of the Draw 19 Open Exhibition run by the Society of Graphic Fine Art. This is my first time exhibiting with the organisation and i’m really looking forward to seeing the show.
I am pleased to announce my ink drawing, ‘Fragments’, has been selected to appear in the Three Counties Open Art 2019. This piece depicts the remains of a World War 2 pillbox found on a beach in Northumberland near Ashington. This large concrete structure cuts a strange silhouette on the landscape and pieces of it can be found strewn across the beach. From a holiday makers point of view it’s an eyesore but on the other hand it’s a fascinating glimpse into history. A number of names have been drawn on the concrete mixing recent history with old. The exhibition runs from the 27th July until the 26th August at The Burslem School of Art.
I am currently preparing for my exhibition with Jemma Gunning which starts in September. The show is also called Fragments which relates to the themes running through both our work (we’re both fascinated by dereliction and abandonment). Whilst selecting work for the show I decided to revisit my painting of RAF Seighford as I had felt for some time that it needed some extra work. The changes I have made are subtle but noticeable and it is now a stronger piece.
I am currently organising giclee prints for some of my work. These will be available from myself and selected galleries. More information on this soon.
I have just completed a new ink drawing, ‘Springfield Brewery’, based on an abandoned factory in Wolverhampton. A few years ago I discovered the building as I hunted for subject matter for a derelict building project I was working on. Until now I haven’t responded to my research. I have started to revisit the subject matter as I will be exhibiting with Jemma Gunning later in the year on an abandoned spaces project. Working with ink will complement her printmaking practice.
I have found out today that my painting, ‘Renewal’, has been pre-selected for the Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition 2019. Hopefully it will get past the next round and make it to the show!
Today I received the Barracks Trust Prize at the Brampton Museum and Art Gallery Open Art and Craft Exhibition 2019 for my ink drawing “Entrance’. This piece is based on an area at the edge of Cannock Chase, a forest in Staffordshire. I think it’s almost impossible to guess how your work will be received and so it is always a pleasant surprise to win an award. I also have two paintings in the same show, ‘Clearcut’ and ‘Clearcut 2’. The exhibition runs until the 12th May.
I have just completed a new piece of work based on a derelict World War 2 pillbox I discovered in Northumberland. The collapsed concrete structure is quite striking and caught my eye immediately as I approached the beach. A large piece of it, featured in the drawing, balances from where it once stood onto the rocks below appearing like a jagged bridge. People have scratched in their names onto the surface like they sometimes do on trees. The history of the original structure mixes with the recent history of visitors to the area. In addition, this area had the quiet atmosphere often associated with derelict buildings and like my recent tree paintings combined natural with human made elements.
The drawing, entitled ‘Fragment’, was created using ink pens and ink washes and can be found in the Abandoned Spaces section of this website.
I have just completed a new ink drawing entitled, 'Opening'. This piece is based on a quiet and slightly desolate looking area of Cannock Chase. The dead tree in the foreground is contrasted by the healthy tree just behind it. I like looking at both sides of nature and including both within a scene. The piece was made using fine liner pens and brushed ink.
I plan to use the ink and wash technique with some urban landscape imagery next. I have a few ideas planned for an exhibition next year.
I have just completed a new ink drawing which is part of the new Woodland series that i am working on. It is called 'Entrance' and was created using fine liner pens and water soluble ink. I have worked in this medium in the past but not for some time and have enjoyed the process. The idea was to create an atmospheric drawing that was expressive and also descriptive.
The title refers to being on the edge of the forest but also describes the feeling of moving from one place into another. It's about change, new beginnings and new experiences.