This has been a very busy year for me combining everything I enjoy most about my art. There have been a number of exhibitions, with several yet to come; painting courses and holidays and writing articles.
 I have been a contributor to the Leisure Painter magazine for a number of years and thoroughly enjoy writing for them, the most recent series in 2009 on Golden Acrylics. I would highly recommend you try these delightful paints; Golden Heavy body, Golden Fluid or Golden Open. The “Open” paints have extraordinary properties and unlike conventional acrylics, stay workable for much longer periods and can be reactivated once apparently set by using the Golden Open Gel. Equally Golden Heavy and Fluid offer wonderful opportunities for working either in a thicker, expressive way or a more detailed approach.
Publications [recently and in the past] include The Leisure Painter Magazine, Country Homes and Interiors, Pastel Artist International Magazine, as greeting cards with The Medici Galleries and Noel Tatt and as prints and greeting cards through Art Marketing.  I am also represented by DDFA licensing.

The painting holiday in Cheddar Gorge June 2009 brought together a group of talented individuals whose painting skills and confidence grew throughout the week. Each day saw us in a different location so we could practice the various techniques and skills demonstrated and learnt in the early morning studio session and the weather on the whole was kind to us! We had three non-painters on the course which was lovely and even persuaded one to join in with the group before the end of the week. He has now bought his own set of equipment! Our hotel, Lyncombe Lodge, looked after us magnificently again and provided us with an exceptional menu.
Below are a few pictures from this year.

Isle of Wight 2009
In May and July I ran two courses on the Isle of Wight. The first was a two day course in Yarmouth and Bembridge; nice and sunny but a little windy!  In July we painted over five mornings on the beach, in two beautiful gardens and a magnificent view from a sailing club. Painting outside made us really look at our subject matter and we were able to consider the importance of planning and composition in the painting process.

2008 News
2008 saw an exciting programme of painting holidays in Austria and Somerset. 

Cheddar Gorge
We had a lovely week in June at Cheddar Gorge staying at the Lyncombe Lodge Hotel.  We started each day looking at a different technique or subject and then went out on location to paint. The weather was kind to us and we were spoilt for choice in our subject matter!

Here are a few photographs of the week!

Lake Attersee, Austria

Equally Austria in September provided the group with some memorable days painting. Similarly to Cheddar, I spent a percentage of each day looking at various techniques and methods of painting before departing for our chosen location. Lakes, mountains, Glaciers and the pretty onion domed churches gave us a wonderful selection of subject matter. We were well looked after at the Hotel Stadler with great Austrian food and hospitality. Some of us even swam in the lake…..