Artists for Painted Dogs

                                                                'Stained by the land'

This year Artists for Painted Dogs organised their second Autumn online exhibition and I was really delighted to have my mixed media artwork 'Stained by the land' selected. 

Artists will share their sales profits this year with the The Kalahari African Wild Dog Conservation Trust and Wildlife Act. The KWDCT is an organisation in Namibia dedicated to the conservation of African wild dogs, which are Namibia's most endangered large carnivore. They are dedicated to ensuring the survival of the species. Wildlife Act have conservation projects across South Africa.

My Artwork is a mixed media work created with woodcut printmaking and watercolour painting.

Sketching wildlife.

Animals are still the favourite subject for my artwork. Although it can often be challenging to sketch them in the flesh, it's also very rewarding and helps you really understand the anatomy and character of your subject. It always pays to have a sketchbook on hand as you never know where and when you might get a chance.

Snoozing piglets in the home farm at Wimpole Hall 

I've never been on safari or had the opportunity to sketch wild animals in their natural habitat outside the UK, so taking photographs in wildlife parks is my only other option and it does often allow a closer view, which admittedly is useful when I want to see a lot of detail for making woodcut prints.

My lovely restored Albion Press for relief printing.

The conditions in wildlife parks and zoo's are greatly improved from those I remember seeing as a child in the 60's, but I still find it very sad to see wild animals in captivity. I hope to visit the Wild Place Project in Bristol soon, which aims to relocate all the animals from the old Bristol Zoo and offer bigger spaces that more closely reflect the animals' natural habitats whilst also increasing it's conservation work.

There are some fantastic conservation programmes nowadays and better enrichment for many animals, but it would be nice to imagine that one day we won't keep wild animals captive for our amusement or their survival.  

GRATITUDE IN ART

                                                   My design Beacon of Hope

Obviously the past 18 months have been incredibly difficult for many people due to the pandemic and it's been a challenging time in the Arts, so I was really delighted to have one of my designs commissioned by global public art producers Wild in Art for their latest and most heartfelt project 

This is Gratitude has been created especially to show our gratitude to NHS and other key workers for their amazing hard work and dedication throughout this pandemic. 51 sculptures have been designed and painted by individual artists and celebrate a wide range of themes around gratitude and resilience. Enclosed by mirrors on two sides, Gratitude creates infinite reflections of the stunning artwork highlighting the endless dedication of all key workers The wonderful Zandra Rhodes is the creative ambassador for the project.

My design 'Beacon of Hope', is a lighthouse, which is a traditional and iconic symbol of hope already used amongst some key worker organisations. The base has a design of rough seas and bears the inscription, 'your light shines like a beacon of hope on stormy seas'. It is dedicated to all key workers who have given everyone hope and support during the Pandemic. It has been wonderful to have the opportunity to show my gratitude by being involved in this project.

Having toured the country with exhibitions in central locations in Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, the public art installation reached it's final stunning location of Southwark Cathedral last week. 

The artworks are now being auctioned online to raise funds for the NHS Charities Together which does vital amazing work to support NHS staff, patients and emergency support workers.

Anyone wishing to bid for an artwork and support the NHS can do so here.

Minerva's Owls of Bath

I was delighted to be asked to create a design to help launch Minerva's Owls of Bath, the 2018 Public Art sculpture trail around Bath.

'The Owl and the Pussycat'

The Roman baths in Bath were dedicated to the Celtic goddess Sulis and Roman goddess Minerva whose symbol is the owl, a depiction of which can be seen on the iconic carved stone Gorgon's head temple pediment. 10 years on from King Bladud's Pigs in Bath, 100 variously adorned owl sculptures will  fill the streets of Bath from June to September.

Sponsored by local businesses, they will be auctioned in October with the profits going to several local charities: The RUH's 'Forever Friends' Cancer Centre appeal, The UK Little Owl Project, Banes Young Carers and The Roman Baths Archway Centre Project.

Full details about the project can be found on their website Minerva's Owls of Bath 

To reference the gilt bronze Minerva's head statue at the Roman Baths, I decided to use gold in my design, and inspired by beautiful Japanese gold screen paintings which often show birds and animals, I chose Edward Lear's famous nonsense poem, 'The owl and the Pussycat' as a theme. 

My owl is kindly sponsored by The Southgate Centre Bath, whose own summer theme for 2018 of gardens, prompted me to include wisteria and cherry blossom in the design. The 'lots of honey' in the poem is depicted by honey bees amongst the flowers and the 'five pound note' will be hidden in a slightly unusual place!

 I can't wait for summer to arrive!

Knights Trail 2017

With family history in Lincoln and the Lincolnshire area stretching back many generations, I was delighted to create a design and paint a knight for the Lincoln Knights Trail 2017. This trail celebrates the 800th Anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln and the signing of the Charter of the Forest.

My knight is called 'Lincoln Greene' and is inspired by the Charter of the Forest and the traditional dyers colour of Lincoln Green,( famously worn by Robin Hood). The horse is decorated in a medieval style forest containing dyers plants, and the knight is a greenman wearing the Lincoln insignia of a Fleur de Leys.

From 20th-27th September, all 36 knights from the trail can be viewed together at Lincoln Castle before they are auctioned on 30th September Tickets are available from Visit Lincoln .The auction will be raising funds for The Nomad Trust  a wonderful charity which provides support for the homeless and those in need in the City of Lincoln.

Lincoln Greene

Sitting with Jane

The wonderful 'Sitting with Jane' book bench trail organised by Destination Basingstoke in partnership with Wild in Art and supporting the Ark Cancer Charity was launched in Basingstoke last week.

It was good to see there were some willing helpers when it came to moving my bench about!

I was delighted to have painted the inaugural bench inspired by a Regency Doll's House, which has kindly been sponsored by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and is now situated outside the beautiful Georgian building Goldings, the Basingstoke Register Offices at London Rd.

Photo by Ross Harvie

The trail forms part of the 'Jane Austen 200- A Life in Hampshire'  celebrations which mark the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death. The trail map and phone App can be found on the Sitting with Jane website. The Book benches will be out in public until 31st August and then will be auctioned to raise funds for the local Ark Cancer Centre.

The tiger that came to town - Chipping Sodbury

Hop along to Chipping Sodbury on Saturday 25th March 2017 

2-4pm.

My 'Tiger that came to town' will be introduced to the public in Chipping Sodbury on Saturday 25th March. Kindly sponsored by the Chipping Sodbury Chamber of Commerce, he will be situated on Horse St outside JMI Kitchens and Bathrooms and joins 3 other hares in the town, which form part the Cotswold Hare Trail 2017. More information can be found on the Visit Chipping Sodbury facebook page.

 'The Tiger that came to Town'

The Trail continues until September when all the hares from around 20 towns and village locations in the Cotswolds will be brought together on display in the New Brewery Arts Centre, Cirencester before being auctioned in October to raise money for 'National Star' the charity which supports people with disabilities to reach their full potential.

Cotswold Hare Trail 2017

The Cirencester Hare Festival has been expanded this year to encompass a wider area and the new event 'Costwold Hare Trail 2017' launches fully on 25th March with a pre-launch at Burford Garden Centre on 9th March

I was very pleased to be chosen by lovely sponsor the Cirencester Talbot Inn to create a playful 'Hare of the Dog' design for them. It features a golden hare and a silver Talbot hound dancing in the magical moonlight. Perhaps the produce of the hops, barley and vines had something to do with that!

Hare of the Dog.

Sitting with Jane

I was so delighted to be asked to create a BookBench to kick off the 'Sitting with Jane' project by Wild in Art and Destination Basingstoke.

Firstly I have a soft spot for Basingstoke because my daughter was born there and it's a lovely area. Secondly...the BookBenches are a brilliant idea helping to promote literacy and are also a great canvas to paint, and thirdly Jane Austen was such a wonderful writer!

Sitting with Jane is a unique public art trail to celebrate Jane Austen's connections with Basingstoke and her birthplace Steventon and forms part of a global commemoration of her life in 2017, the 200th Anniversary of her death. 25 BookBenches will form a trail in and around Basingstoke for 12 weeks next summer, which will then be auctioned to help raise funds for the Ark Cancer Centre Charity to go towards a new specialised cancer treatment centre.

                Back of the BookBench showing the front of the house.

When I was considering a design, the idea of a dolls house leapt out at me because it could combine the Regency period which Jane Austen describes so well, with characters and stories. I've always loved dolls houses so researching period style, decorating the rooms with tiny details and imagining the kind of dolls which represent typical Jane Austen characters was huge fun!
There's more info on my design 'The House that Jane Built' on the Sitting with Jane website.

         Front of the BookBench showing the rooms inside the house.

                                  Detail of one of the rooms

Go Herdwick Eco Travel Challenge

Will you be able to find all 3 of my Go Herdwick animals on the Go Herdwick Eco Travel Challenge? Better than virtual games....have fun with your friends, family and work colleagues on Tuesday 2nd August. See details below or here.

GO CATCH THEM ALL!

Stargrazer

A Sheep in the sun

Charlie Lamb

A Sheep in the Sun

Having already painted 'Star Grazer' for the Go Herdwick project, I was surprised and very pleased when Paula and Graham, the owners of  Lingmoor Guest House in Windermere who are sponsoring one of the ewes, asked me to create and paint a design for them.

The theme they requested was a celebration of the beauty of Cumbria through all the seasons, a sentiment that had prompted them to buy their guest house which they viewed whilst taking part in the TV programme 'A Place in the Sun'.

Featuring some of the many things Cumbria is famous for, 'A Sheep in the sun' shows daffodils, a Herdwick lamb, a red squirrel and a little rabbit sleepily enjoying the sunshine. Even the ewe herself seems to be nodding off , A sheep in the sun, asleep in the sun!

The design took several weeks to paint, using the acrylic as glazes to build up layers for a depth and luminosity of colour.

The #GoHerdwick trail of 60 decorated ewes will start on Good Friday 25th March, and will also be joined later in the year on 27th May by a 'Hide and Seek' trail of 30 lambs. For more information visit Go Herdwick.

Funds raised by the sale of the sculptures in the autumn will go to the Calvert Trust's campaign to raise £1.3 million to redevelop their Old Windbrowe site in Keswick. The Trust provides specialised outdoor adventure challenges for people with disabilities.

Celebrating Cumbria in all seasons, 'A Sheep in the sun' is for everyone living or visiting here, their dream place in the sun'  #cumbriaisopen #placetobe

Go Betty!

Betty ( Star Grazer) the Herdwick ewe, finally has her fleece of 'stars' ready to take her place at the  Lake District Calvert Trust  Charity Ball at Low Wood Bay Hotel, Windermere on Friday 11th September.

Local businesses and individuals are invited to bid to sponsor her, and kick off the Go Herwick public art project, which will be introduced by a special guest, the 'Herdy Shepherd' James Rebanks.
Star Grazer is billed as Lot 10 in the grand auction, early bids can be placed on-line here by midnight on 10th September to get the fundraising rolling!

My design features a colourful close up view of typical Cumbrian meadow plants and insects. The grasses and plants follow the form of the beautiful thick fleece of a Herdwick ewe.

Wild flower meadows and grassland are an intrinsic part of Britain's landscape and its agriculture and yet a staggering 97% of Wild flower meadows have been lost since 1930 leaving only 1% of the UK covered by species rich grassland. With careful management of this environment Sheep help wild plants germinate, as they trample the seeds into the earth.

Go Herdwick

I'm really thrilled to be part of the Go Herdwick public art project which will see beautiful Herdwick Sheep sculptures by Alan Dun, individually decorated by artists and designers, creating a trail in Cumbria from Easter to the autumn in 2016.
Organised by the Lake District Calvert Trust who deliver challenging outdoor adventure holidays for people with disabilities, to celebrate their 40th Anniversry and with support from community interest public art consultants Art at the Edge, the trail will aim to raise funds for it's wonderful work, by auctioning the sculptures in the autumn 2016.

Go Herdwick will be launched by the popular 'Herdy Shepherd' James Rebanks, at their Charity ball at Low Wood Bay Hotel, Windermere on Sept 11th . If you would like to sponsor a ewe please contact the Trust on  017687 72255.

My design 'Star Grazer' ( aka Betty!) is inspired by a beautiful Cumbrian meadow and it highlights the importance of sheep in helping to re-seed meadows by trampling the seeds into the earth. It features some of the plant and insect life of a typical Cumbrian meadow.

My ewe arrived at the weekend and here is an early work in progress picture!

Butterfly mad!

To celebrate the Big Butterfly Count here are just a few of the many butterflies that I have painted for illustrations, private commissions and on sculptures for public art projects.

These are not all British species but butterflies don't have to be tropical to be beautiful!

Elephant Hawkshead Moth on 'Maidenhare'

Orange Peacock Pansy on 'Butterfly Effect'

Common Blue - 'Happy Garden'

Marpesia on 'Butterfly Effect'

Peacock on 'Country Pignic'

Tiger Swallowtail on 'Butterfly Effect'

Painted Lady on 'Painted Lady'

Gaudy Commodore on 'Butterfly Effect'

Matriarch

When I was looking for inspiration for a new elephant design I looked east towards Bangkok.
This year the Elephant Parade will hold it's first parade in Thailand, the spiritual home of the parade, which was founded in 2006 by father and son Marc and Mike Spits. Whilst on holiday in Thailand, Marc met a baby elephant named Mosha, who had lost her leg after stepping on a landmine. Mosha inspired Marc and Mike to create Elephant Parade. 

The name of my elephant Matriarch is for mothers and female strength, the eldest female in a family group of elephants is known as the matriarch. So I named her for little Mosha, all female elephants and strong women everywhere.

One of the most important actions of Asian elephant conservation is to preserve their natural habitat, so I wanted to incorporate that idea. I therefore drew trees rising out of the city. I decided to paint the trees gold to symbolise the hope, energy, support and money coming from the city, with the leaves green to show the aim to preserve the natural habitat of Thailand. I chose to use a rich colour palette so depicted the city at night with a bright sunset. The hearts are simply a symbol of love for elephants.

Bangkok is visually a city of contrasts, magnificent ancient stone temples and soaring modern skyscrapers. It attracts nearly 16 million visitors a year. It's very special that the capital city is supporting the parade to help the endangered Asian elephant, which is also Thailand's' national symbol.

You can vote for Matriarch in the Artbox contest to become part of the Bangkok Parade HERE