Portraits
Below is a gallery displaying some of my portraits and character sketches, mostly produced in pencil. I used to paint and draw portraits before and after my art degree, but sadly this was side-lined for many years due to a busy teaching career, but I am thrilled to have now re-discovered my passion for portraiture! A large part of this has been due to the inspirational effect of Sky Arts: Portrait Artist of the Year.
This year I have also been following in the footsteps of wonderful Children's Laureate, Chris Riddell, who sketches every day as part of his 'Laureate Log', I founded my own version - The Artmaniac Challenge. The 365 day Artmaniac Challenge can be found on Facebook and requires it's members to draw, sketch, sculpt, paint or create some new art EVERY DAY for a whole year from January 1st 2017 to January 1st 2018 and onwards. A great number of these daily artworks have been portraits which I try to complete in only ONE HOUR! 😉
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Below is a gallery displaying some of my portraits and character sketches, mostly produced in pencil. I used to paint and draw portraits before and after my art degree, but sadly this was side-lined for many years due to a busy teaching career, but I am thrilled to have now re-discovered my passion for portraiture! A large part of this has been due to the inspirational effect of Sky Arts: Portrait Artist of the Year.
This year I have also been following in the footsteps of wonderful Children's Laureate, Chris Riddell, who sketches every day as part of his 'Laureate Log', I founded my own version - The Artmaniac Challenge. The 365 day Artmaniac Challenge can be found on Facebook and requires it's members to draw, sketch, sculpt, paint or create some new art EVERY DAY for a whole year from January 1st 2017 to January 1st 2018 and onwards. A great number of these daily artworks have been portraits which I try to complete in only ONE HOUR! 😉
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
New Painting Series
A new project I began just before the Covid-19 crisis struck. Having a deep and profound connection and love of the natural world, I decided to combine my love of natural landscapes and wildlife with my love of portraiture and mythology to produce a series of paintings featuring ancient mythological and fictional heroines, from Isolde to Boudicca.
I decided to start closest to my home in the wilds of Gloucestershire, UK, by focusing my first painting on the local ancient legend of Sabrina (Hafren), the Goddess of the River Severn. I grew up and have lived next to the mighty River Severn for most of my life. Sabrina or Sabre (the Latin name for Hafren) the Welsh Goddess of the River Severn was a beautiful maiden, the illegitimate daughter of King Locrin (Locrinis) of the Britons and the Hun princess Estrildis. Upon Locrin's death in battle against the Cornish army his divorced wife Guendolen raised against him, Guendolen ordered that both Estrildis and her innocent daughter Hafren be thrown into and drowned in the mighty river and ordered that the river be named after Hafren so that Locrin's infidelity be remembered forever. This is believed to be how the River Severn got it's name, as Severn in Welsh is Hafren. In addition to wanting to do a painting of the beautiful Hafren and my beloved River Severn landscape with its famous Severn Bore tidal wave, I also wanted to include the endangered wildlife of this locality - namely the glass eels or elvers which populate the river and are now among the most illegally trafficked animals on the planet! So when constructing the painting, I decided to have the bottom of the painting as an underwater section, as if the viewer were dipping below the surface of the river to see the reeds and elvers that live there...
A new project I began just before the Covid-19 crisis struck. Having a deep and profound connection and love of the natural world, I decided to combine my love of natural landscapes and wildlife with my love of portraiture and mythology to produce a series of paintings featuring ancient mythological and fictional heroines, from Isolde to Boudicca.
I decided to start closest to my home in the wilds of Gloucestershire, UK, by focusing my first painting on the local ancient legend of Sabrina (Hafren), the Goddess of the River Severn. I grew up and have lived next to the mighty River Severn for most of my life. Sabrina or Sabre (the Latin name for Hafren) the Welsh Goddess of the River Severn was a beautiful maiden, the illegitimate daughter of King Locrin (Locrinis) of the Britons and the Hun princess Estrildis. Upon Locrin's death in battle against the Cornish army his divorced wife Guendolen raised against him, Guendolen ordered that both Estrildis and her innocent daughter Hafren be thrown into and drowned in the mighty river and ordered that the river be named after Hafren so that Locrin's infidelity be remembered forever. This is believed to be how the River Severn got it's name, as Severn in Welsh is Hafren. In addition to wanting to do a painting of the beautiful Hafren and my beloved River Severn landscape with its famous Severn Bore tidal wave, I also wanted to include the endangered wildlife of this locality - namely the glass eels or elvers which populate the river and are now among the most illegally trafficked animals on the planet! So when constructing the painting, I decided to have the bottom of the painting as an underwater section, as if the viewer were dipping below the surface of the river to see the reeds and elvers that live there...
Private Commission
Oil on canvas portrait of award winning science-fiction writer, Gareth L Powell, presented to him as Guest of Honour at the BristolCon Closing Ceremony, October 2019.
Oil on canvas portrait of award winning science-fiction writer, Gareth L Powell, presented to him as Guest of Honour at the BristolCon Closing Ceremony, October 2019.
Latest Portraits
I love working in soft coloured pencil, particularly Caran D'Ache watercolour pencils, using them in the dry as they are so wonderfully rich and buttery to use, fantastic for blending and with great colour saturation! Here, I've taken inspiration from Renaissance drawings by masters such as Leonardo Da Vinci, who loved working in red carmine pencil.
I love working in soft coloured pencil, particularly Caran D'Ache watercolour pencils, using them in the dry as they are so wonderfully rich and buttery to use, fantastic for blending and with great colour saturation! Here, I've taken inspiration from Renaissance drawings by masters such as Leonardo Da Vinci, who loved working in red carmine pencil.
Private Commission
Oil on canvas portrait of writer Joanne Hall, presented to her as Guest of Honour at the BristolCon Closing Ceremony, October 2018.
Oil on canvas portrait of writer Joanne Hall, presented to her as Guest of Honour at the BristolCon Closing Ceremony, October 2018.
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait, oil on canvas.
Self-Portrait, oil on canvas.
Varied Portraits
Varied pencil portraits including my 'faded portrait series', quick sketches completed in a timed 1 hour sessions.
Varied pencil portraits including my 'faded portrait series', quick sketches completed in a timed 1 hour sessions.
Below are some photos of my most recent exhibition at the Hilton Hotel in Bristol for BristolCon October 2018, where I exhibited my maps, silk paintings and portraits and created my 'Game of Thrones' style homage with my - 'WALL OF FACES'/'ROGUE'S GALLERY', including a portrait of uber-talented science-fiction writer, Gareth L Powell!