Category: My Blog

Sadly our time at Carlew House is coming to an end so we’re having a bit of a clear out during this weekend’s Lambeth Open 2021. Lots to see and loads of bargains to be had.

You are also invited to my Private View on Friday evening 6:30pm to 9pm, or pop along during the weekend 10am to 6pm. It would be lovely to see you.

Other artists exhibiting will be Martin Grover, Yair Meshoulam, Jane Miller, Mary Rodriguez and Paul Savage. Examples of all our work can be seen on the Lambeth Open web page.

Click on the image below to download the event’s leaflet…

Great news that we can again open our studios for this year’s annual Lambeth Open event. This will be our last showing at Carlew House because unfortunately the building’s lease is coming to an end and the new owners want us out. Such a shame and somewhere I am going to miss very much after ten years. Affordable studio space in London is becoming pretty much impossible to find which does not bode well for the capital’s creative community or events such as this. Fingers crossed something turns up!

Fresh out of the trap, and off the easel, is Rupert the Lurcher greyhound cross. I always like to paint any hound in profile to accentuate their wonderful streamline silhouette. Also, as much as you try and tempt them with food to look at the camera, they are always far more interested in looking out for a squirrel to chase. Particularly challenging in this painting was the diamanté collar which, after a lot of effort, I was rather pleased with.

How good are you at recognising dog breeds? To test your knowledge here is a little competition, all you have to do is guess which these are. The winner will be drawn from correct entrants at the end of the month and will win a print of Smudge the Westie. Good luck.

Urban Art is going virtual again this year due to the current social distancing rules, so please go online and browse their amazing display of work from a wonderful range of artists.

It’s been a tough year for everyone, but especially the creative community who have been devastated by the economic uncertainty and lack of exhibition opportunities. This is a great opportunity to give something back and also put something nice on you wall.

My latest commission has been a portrait of Marcel the French Bulldog who lived in Battersea.

The French Bulldog actually originates back to a British dwarf Bulldog known as the Toy Bulldog in the 1850s which were popular with Nottingham lace makers. Threatened by redundancy in the Industrial Revolution these workers emigrated to France where they bred with other short-faced breeds and after three decades a new breed known as the French Bulldog had evolved.

Recognisable for their large ‘Bat Ears’ and lovable clownish faces they soon became fashionable in artistic Parisian society and portrayed by artists of the day including Degas and Toulouse Lautrec.

The return of the breed to Britain in the last years of the 19th Century brought some antagonism from the traditionalists, but in 1902 the French Bulldog Club of England was formed. In 1906 the Kennel Club gave official recognition to the breed. These dogs are often kept as companions and are known for their patient and affectionate nature. They can live with other breeds and rarely bark. As they are human oriented dogs this makes them on the easier side to train, even though they do have tendencies to be stubborn.

Today they remain a popular breed globally with many celebrity owners which ironically include Snoop Dogg. Other famous owners include Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Jackman, Lady Gaga, Leonardo Dicaprio, David Beckham and Madonna.

Our animals have been a great comfort during the last 12 months so I thought it about time I painted our lovely cat Mylo again. As you can see, he is not the best behaved when it comes to sitting still so hopefully the painting captures his rather restless nature. Hope you like it.

I am offering lockdown portrait commissions in watercolour as part of the Artists Support Pledge project on Instagram #artistsupportpledge. Commissions accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Just send me your favourite photograph to work from for the perfect lockdown gift for you or a friend. See my shopping page for payment details click here

ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE is a culture and economy in support of artists and makers established and led by artist Matthew Burrows on 16th March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now a global movement of connected communities committed to an equitable and sustainable economy for artist and makers of all countries, media and ethnicities.

The project uses social media platform Instagram, which is a popular platform for artists to post images and share their work. Artists and makers can post their images using #artistsupportpledge giving details of their works and price (no more than £200 or equivelent). If people are interested in buying, they message (DM) the artist. Anyone can buy the work and artists don’t need permission to join.

Every time an artist reaches £1,000 of sales, they pledge to buy £200 of work from other artist(s). Donations are encouraged to other concerns too, such as @_hopsitalrooms @screen.south @samaratanscharity @s_lawrencetrust @refugecharity @survivalinternational

ASP works by example, showing how a generous culture behaves and exploring the values that maintain its ethos. At the core of this is a commitment to equality of opportunity FOR ALL and an accessible platform to participate.

ASP believes that an equitable and sustainable future economically and environmentally must begin by examining the cultural values we live by; that artists are central to this debate; and that ALL artists are important in maintaining the permaculture that is our global artistic ecosystem. If one part suffers we all do.