Moved on from Wells now and am now in Sheffield , seeing sons grandchildren and lots of friends, we are both having a super time.

The above image is from a corner of Wells near to the Cathedral. It was one of those days when everybody is nice and friendly. The house to my left: the lady is moving to Devon next week; how can she leave Wells, never mind. Sorry about the quality of the image but the photography was done in a hotel lounge, with no scanner and very uneven light. It will be scanned properly when we get home.

Another poor rendition image below, this time of Lythe Cary in Somerset, and yet another pleasant corner, this time a few miles away from Wells. We found a friendly pub nearby for supper before going to the New Wine for the evening.

In the Waitrose carpark just met a lovey young lad, he had obviously just had a fall, his forehead was cut and he had bruising around his face. He is homeless, schizophrenic and epileptic; very politely he asked for money, we gave him a proper meal and chatted a while. When we left to get back into the car he asked me to pray with him; which I did. The uncaringness of our society really makes me mad at times.

Arrived and settled in at Sheptom Mallet; The exhibition at New Wine is framed, up and the display completed, all the paper work for being at N/W was completed (always a drag) after which Liz and myself wandered into Wells for lunch and some chill time.

A request from a follower to draw St Cuthbert's church in Wells, so here it is. It started poring with rain as soon I started, therefore the decision was made to sketch lightly in pencil, then when it was dry, to rework it in ink. No scanner available, so this is a photo of the work, I will scan it properly when we get home. I think something bumped into the lamppost, it really is like that.

Today is Liz's day so we are off to Castle Gary. Small shops, cafes and peaceful, nice.

Our usual busy and full lives continue: tomorrow we are off to Somerset and the New Wine festival for a week. I will be exhibiting there and the work on show will be displaying the colour of life. My exhibition can be found in the exhibitors gallery on the balcony of the market place.

The festival is at Sheptom Mallet near Wells, one of my favourite of the small British cities. Hence todays images of the market square and also the steps leading up to the chapter house in the cathedral. However as the chapter house image refuses to transfer, that must be for another day.

Maybe see you there. Charles.

I worked in London yesterday and decided to explore a little around St Paul's. This is he right hand tower of the west frontage, just in front of Queen Anne's statue. It is not really a sketch as considerable care and concentration was used in drawing this rather complex building. But notice the very sparing use of colour, just the gold highlights and a touch of blue in the sky; enough to give the image a lift, without overdoing it.

Met a couple from Bologna in Italy, a second couple from Lyon in France and then a further couple from Brisbane in Australia, then to end it a lady from Brighton; quite an international day.

And the second image; it has again been a busy week, meeting lots of interesting people and today I am still thinking about sketching.
The other night whilst at a party I met a pleasant young man who is at the age of choosing and starting a career. We spent a pleasant half hour or so talking about steam engines of which he is a devotee ; so this image is for him.. It was draw a while ago at York railway museum whilst having a cup of coffee and a bun in the museum café. The café and tables were beside the Mallard, sort of track side. Six coloured pencils (2 blues, a grey, a yellow, a brown and a black) were used, then with a few touches from a pen just to tighten it up. Not an attempt at a classical rendition, but rather an attempt to capture the speed and grandeur of this mighty beast of an engine; I was relaxed having a pleasant play day out and I think it works.

A note for your diary; any of you attending New Wine this year, a week to go and my work will be on display in the gallery.

W

Well a good if rather busy week; all the framing etc., for the New Wine exhibition is finished as is all the writing, business cards etc. So that is a weight of my shoulders. Epson mental health week had a planning meeting and that went very well; so----. 

As the weather was wonderful we decided to celebrate, we took a few hours off, it was Sunday afternoon and we wandered down the footpaths near Purford (Surrey). Halfway to Ripley we came across this broken style. We stopped, sat on the grass, ate our picnic, then Liz read whilst I did the above sketch; short episodes like that are so precious.

Two sketches today, the above of Ely Market, we were there for a friends ordination this morning and below, of St. Pauls Cathedral London; done very quickly whilst in the city on Monday.

About sketch's, they are not an attempt at a finished or highly polished piece of work, but rather a bit of controlled, even if rough and ready work, sometimes the draughtsmanship can be lacking, as in the lower drawing; but they do convey the moment and a feeling of the place. By the way that girl was real, she was sat there. When out drawing don't be put off by what you may consider to be second rate drawings. So get out there, enjoy your art, draw away and remember that the rough and ready drawing are memories and a part of you mental library. They are also fun.