There’s a whole new generation of backpackers doing the rounds of hostels in wild places. I’m currently in Stromness, Orkney, with friend Anne, and we shared a room last night with an elderly energetic Australian artist/poet on walkabout and a retired American backpacker who joined us today for a long walk up a big cliff continue reading »
Sound advice for both east coast sailors and watercolour artists, ‘Keep off the mud’ was the title of a talk I did at Woodbridge Art Club earlier this week. It seems to be my year for burbling at an unsuspecting audience. This time the subject was colour mixing, and I know I’ve covered it before continue reading »
When I was invited to give a talk at the London Boat Show on marine art, I faced the challenge of making a half hour slot as useful as possible. What I came up with is my ten tips for sketching boats, which I promised the audience (delightfully attentive and well behaved!) that I would continue reading »
The only thing I remember about my English teacher at secondary school was the telling off she gave me for wearing my trousers too tight. Well of course I was. Trousers had only recently been introduced as optional school uniform, so the game was to bend the rules in the same way that we rolled continue reading »
Artistic people have the knack of making ordinary things beautiful. Last week I went to a concert in Goodwick, at a church overlooking the bay. It was an overcast evening, grey light on a grey sea and the breakwater cutting across the centre of the bay. There was half an hour before the concert started and continue reading »