Loving the great outdoors during winter, I must admit that the cold does not in truth really encourage outdoor painting and sketching, so I am afraid that the streets of London work has been put on hold for a while. It didn't help that my stool fell apart on my last trip and it is rather hard finding another sturdy and light weight one for a replacement.. Well it is getting warmer so hopefully I will be out there again soon.

However the tree work has been going onwards and upwards, the camera is a wonderful tool which has been used extensively in recording images for future work.  Within photography, black and white images have been paramount in the work, experimenting and re learning the use of red, yellow and green filters; all exciting.

Liz is super in allowing me to use our walks for research; we passed the lower tree image near Fair-Oaks airport the other day.

Its funny but the tree looks ok even if the picture is held upside-down.

Just occasionally your art and life choices meet in a big way, such as--.

When in Italy there was an opportunity for me to fulfil two of my life time ambitions, the first ambition and the upper image was to paint St. Peter's Rome. I literally had about three minuets, as being attached to a tour, there was a need to move at their speed. So three washes and a pencil was all time allowed. Then shaking the picture dry as we all walked away. Quick, spontaneity works, the details might well be omitted, but how I felt, was captured nicely .

The second image, this time from St. Marks Square, Venice, was tad more leisurely. It was free day and the sun was ever so hot and bright. Sitting at the southern end of the square I relaxed and enjoyed painting at ease, crowds don't bother me. Sitting and painting an ambition was super.

Painting in that bright sunlight can be quite painful on the eyes. My solution is, small umbrella placed across my lap and knees, just over the paper, the although you may be in the sun, your work is in the shade. You get a few funny looks, but never mind. A few years later on another trip to Italy I had slight burns to my corneas due to the reflection and brightness off the paper, not nice; wear sun glasses. 

As we were in Italy on my last blog, lets stay there today.

The top drawing is an ink work and the lower a water-colour sketch of the Etruscan tombs near Rome. Very wild vegetation. I remember being very carful about sitting down, checked the grasses for scorpions and other nasty's. This was a lovely day out, very warm but not to hot. The whole archaeological site was so peaceful.  But remember, when in wild places to take care where you sit down.

The lower image is a water-colour. It is not a great painting, indeed far from that, but the reason I put it in, is to show flexibility. It was done in the coach as it drove along; pad on my knee, water bottle and palette in one hand and brush in the other, while the vehicle lurched and bumped along. I repeat not an excellent image, but a rough sketch which portrays a feeling and atmosphere. That's what sketching is about.

We have seen a lot of trees recently so for a change lets jump to Florence. A beautiful city which immediately took my heart; even if the police were a little to keen. A holster tapping policeman moved me on whilst this image was being produced; I think he had a low blood sugar.

Verona was altogether different, busy but calmer; super. The supposed Romeo and Juliet balcony is down the alley to the left. That was one super trip.

Its all a learning curve, as I've just learnt how to place the image in the centre of the page. I.T. and myself have numerous adventures and blimps: maybe a pat on the back on my back is appropriate.

A few days ago I mentioned some pollarded trees in Norfolk, so as promised here is one. When looking at the bruised, battered and weathered trunk, it would be interesting to know just how old this row of trees are.

It looks like a busy year ahead of me, with several exhibitions in the offing, but more about them when they are certainties. 

A large number of ideas with regards to this tree project, are going through my mind at the moment.
Woodland vistas and how light works around the trunks is one; for example the above.

One of the others is so exciting, the trouble is that there are only 24 hours in a day. Its a vista but in a different way; closer up and showing how the masses of foliage and wood interplay. At the present time it is one of these which I am wrestling with; if it works you will see it in a few days.