With a friend, Liz and myself have just returned from a very welcome few days taking it easy at Sidmouth in Devon. The weather wasn't perfect, but it was warm and we didn't want to do to much anyhow. Most of the time I relaxed painting mussel shells, which was relaxing, good fun and the finished item wasn't to bad either.
We wandered to Lyme Regis and did just one sketch, half way through it started raining, so that stopped me.
From that point it seemed a good idea to relax, so that is what I did.
It did me good to, I still painted, but I chilled out as well.
Don't take yourself to seriously.

A bit of a change today. Whilst at Epsom a few weeks ago, amongst other things I demonstrated paper sculpture. The above piece is a clinker built dingy, in the classical plank on frame style,  as in the real thing. The larger of the two books has about twenty pages, whilst the smaller of the books has about ten pages, both open properly; the satchel sadly doesn't show up to well, but has a convincing leather look. The boat is about six inches in length and made totally from scrap pieces of paper and pva glue, before being finished with acrylic paint. I enjoyed making it during the odd spare moments throughout the week; several of the conference attenders also followed its progress during the weeks as well.
The idea was given me by a client who suggested that I made a boat for a thinker, hence the books. When I have some spare time a bit of beach or something like that needs making for it, before it all gets framed.

Well it has been a rather productive sort of day. The top image is an ink of a quiet, wild corner at Wisley RHS, this was finished before church this morning and the photograph below was take on a stroll near Albury, close to Shere in Surrey, this afternoon. I was taking images to work from, sort of collecting ideas in the camera, a bit like a photo sketch book, rather than capturing fine art photos, and that was one of the results. I rather like it.

The next opportunity to see my work, apart from calling round, is at the Woking MIND Christmas fair, which is being held at Christ Church, on the 28th. of November. Most of you will know of my passion for encouraging good mental health, well two mornings a week I work with MIND and I love the work. It would be nice to see you there

Well Epsom came and went, the preparation time was well spent as everything went swimmingly well; indeed they have booked me for next year. The workshops worked, as did all the talking with clients and professionals; my talk about recovery from metal health conditions also worked. So at the end of the week I felt very tired but also very good. So, I then the idea was to have a few day rest and recuperation.

So now, short while on and I am back at it again, whatever it may be and life is again hectic and good fun. 

The above picture is about my favourite images from the travels of this year.

We were in Vienna, the weather was glorious, but not to hot, Liz had gone into church just down this lane and as there was nowhere to sit, I seated myself in the gutter and did the above. People in a nearby café came over to look at my work, nice chats. A lovely relaxing half hour or so. 

A couple of weeks routine and then Liz and myself with a friend are off for a short break in Sidmouth. A rather nice sea front hotel with a sea view, we have stayed there before, so we know that we will be well cared for.

Well life has quietened down just a little for the afternoon. I say a little as we are listening to Verdi's Nabucco on a DVD; it is just awesome.

Lots is happening and with Eosom only a few days away, life is a bit busy with all the preparation. Those of you in the know will be pleased that the parrot is finished.

So not a new picture today, but a sketch from Prague done during our recent trip. Today I am having an off day from art work, well that is the plan. But if the desire is within you to be good at what you do, in truth there is no such thing as an off day from painting or sketching. So today, I have had two, one hour sessions with my pen; just keeping my hand in.

Try to draw a little every day, its a good discipline.

This morning is all wet, damp and a tad miserable so I need cheering up a little, then I thought, how about my blog; so here goes.

 Had another nice bit of cheery news the other day; a member of one of my groups has done exceptionally well in an international cinematic art competition; he didn't win; but he was one of a few highly commended entries, so well done and my oh my, that is encouraging.

Also Epsom mental health week is just around the corner, so being their artist,  life is getting busy from that quarter as well. Believe it or not, much of my Epsom related thinking at the moment is about macaws, the parrot type! All very strange, light hearted, and fun oriented, but also rather challenging and hard work.

The above image is of a lane in Somerset which is near to Shepton Mallet; when I was down there a few weeks ago the weather was  little better than it is here today.

Had a super bit of encouragement the other day. I have just lead a short course on water-colour with Mind, (a charity) and to put it simply the results were staggering.
The techniques learnt were, single stroke brush application, wash layers, and using ink with the  earlier techniques. I was amazed, as you can see the results were rather good. So the plan is to have a short break and then in a month to six weeks we will do a whole still life. Now that is exciting.
So this time the work is not mine, but others, apart from one of the images.
Lots happening, Epsom mental health week in about a month, and lots of other things. Next time I will tell you about my parrot, no I haven't lost it, but it is good fun.