I had the pleasure recently of being invited to the 10 year Urban Sketchers London event along with Derwent to demo some of their paint sets and papers. What an amazing couple of days!

This was all preceeded by hearing the amazing news that one of my sketches had been successfully chosen to be in the published 10 year anniversary book! So pleased to be amongst some super talented artists.

I joined the anniversary sketching weekend by initially joining 40+ sketchers at Gabriels Wharf on Londons south bank. What a pleasure to meet some of the team running the sketch meet and tackle the London skyline with pen and paint. Urban sketching on mass is such a different (better) experience  - quite a contrast to the solo sketching life most tend to lead, which can be lonely and sometimes enveloped in exaggerated self awareness.

Very pleased to have recently contributed to the South West Creatives exhibition in Glastonbury. The three day show formed part of the mission to build a  platform that celebrates artists, designers and curators within the South West.

 “SWC not only aims to build a creative community within the Somerset region, but looks to connect the dots between those working in the creative industry and those whom take an interest in it.”

I displayed four original watercolour urban works.

1 - ‘Towards Piccadilly ’ 
Crisp Autumn skies in central London. My journey from Leicester Square to Piccadilly Circus captured here in fluid ink and signature blue wash.
Original for sale here

2 -  ‘Lyceum at Dusk’ 
Long winter shadows fall as theatre goers queue. The evening buzz of a busy London never fails to inspire. The evening’s anticipation captured in fast flowing lines and deep layers of dark paint.

3 ‘Elm Hill, Norwich’ 
Green shoots of optimism in the spring of 2021. Highly rhythmic and full of unrestrained artistic license, this landscape triggered a welcome shift in my colour use.
Original for sale here

4 - ‘Ilminster’ Warm summer blues flood the Somerset town. The angular perspective, piercing skyline and emerging shop front details epitomise my highly distinctive urban landscape style.
Original for sale here

I’ve just recently dug out my recent collection of moleskine watercolour books to see if I can pinpoint where whether my style has changed. As an avid sketcher I follow many artists on social media and I often wonder whether theres a limit to development once a style has been truly cemented. My own development seems to have passed in fast and slow moments. Whether thats due to discipline, lack on experimentation or a comfort zone that’s too comfortable, I’m not sure. What I can see personally  is a growing confidence in expressive use of paints and a distinct shift towards a more artful representation of an urban scene. I have begun reworking pieces at home as framed art rather than pure on-location mark making, brought about possible by the flurry of commissions in 2021.

This video shared across my Facebook page offers some clear evidence of a shift in confidence but also a more concentrated use of the sketchbook to create scenes.