I am an artist living with my wife Liz in Woking Surrey, Having been passionate about art since childhood, I am now able to follow my dream and paint full time. My principal medium is ink, but use other medium also. I work two days a week in the mental health field as an art communicator and run other art friendship groups as well.
Tuesday 30 April 2024
Wednesday 24 April 2024
Thursday 28 March 2024
Today being Maunday Thursday, so tomorrow the crucial elements of our faith play out their pathway.
A few years ago just as the covid drama was unfolding, Liz and myself were in Jerusalem, we visited the tomb garden. Whether or not the tomb in this garden is the correct one, is immaterial and of little importance. What matters most, is the stopping, thinking and realisation of the amazing consequences of Jesus' actions in and around this place.
The late morning was pleasantly warm, bright and sunny; too many visitors were in the garden, but that didn't matter; being there was what mattered.. Seeing and being where Jesus rose was astounding, the presence and realisation, sent a shiver of thanks down my spine.
As I said earlier too many people were present in the garden; thankfully the pen allows the omission of these masses. It was so special standing at the top of the stairs looking down towards the tomb and sketching. Special yes, holy yes, thankfully yes; amazing certainly.
Have a lovely blessed Easter.
Thursday 14 March 2024
Last night I was invited to an event which amongst other things had a craft section included in the evening. Those of you who know me will remember that I love the arts and although I am not really into crafting, I respect it and see it as a creative worthwhile form of expression. I digress, then the nightmare happened.
The leader of the evening said from the rostrum, Duncan you are an artist will you judge the work for us. The situation where it is very easy to loose friends. was thrown at me, with no get out clause.. So think fast. Many of the painted Easter eggs really were rather good. So I wandered round talking to the crafters, offering appropriate encouragement and getting to understand what was happening.
As I said earlier many of them were rather good. But one stood out! A lady was having great fun decorating an awful egg and it was bad, ever so bad, but she was laughing and having a great time. I can not imagine an egg being done in any way worse.
So at the judging talk I praised the many excellent eggs, there really were several really good ones produced. Then I talked about the awful egg, everybody was laughing. I explained the intentions of the crafter, the rather rude symbolise drawn on the egg and a bit more; it was good fun and the crafter of this egg was laughing the most, with her mates joining in. With everybody's agreement she got first prise.
The point of this story-----, enjoy your art, it doesn't need to be clever.
By the way, painting eggs like this is an Orthodox Church tradition, this was fully explained during the evening. This also resulted in the end with much laughter, whist understanding the serious side of Easter.
Duncan.
Friday 1 March 2024
Saturday 17 February 2024
Tuesday 6 February 2024
Friday 19 January 2024
This morning I am sharing with you one of my favorite places on earth. It is the view of Stannage Edge, from the carpark above Ringinglow, on the Sheffield side of the Peak District. I have sat painting this view many times, in all weathers and in all of the four seasons. It is an oil pastel and hangs above my desk in my studio, I love it.
I was talking the other day about larger ink works; well the first one has been completed and it is an encouraging start to the project. Scanning to make the image digital is another problem as I have an excellent scanner, which sadly A4 sized and not A3 plus; however that is being worked on, my challenge for the week; lets see what transpires.