Well life is getting back to normal again. Residencies are over for the year, planned exhibitions for this year are finished and tidied away. So I can now take it a little easier for a short while; but that does not mean stoping painting.

Above is view of the boggy area half way between Guildford and Godalming on the Wey Navigation.

A studio piece and it took hours to do, but gave a feeling of satisfaction upon its completion. Enlarge the drawing and you will see that there is very little tradition shape drawing, the majority of the work is all sorts of marks and squiggles, which end up as a representative image. Try it, scratch's, wiggles, circles and sorts of lines, marks and blots, but no actual representative marks; its good fun and it works.

There was a slight omission to last nights blog. I forgot to say where the exhibition was in Guildford.

Well it is at the Guildford Institute, opposite the friends meeting house just off North Street until the 24th of this month.

There are eight pieces on display and the subject is all the about bright things in our lives. Like music, leaves, fossils; many media are used, including water colour, acrylic, ink, mixed media, coloured pencil and the first showing of one of my copper wire sculptures. We need to keep exploring, experimenting and trying new things. Hope if you can get there, you enjoy it.

Oh by the way the institute does super veggie food at lunch time. I am not a veggie, but their food is super; the desserts and cakes are heavenly, I would recommend it to anybody.

Some of you may have noticed my absence over the last few weeks, well, sorry but I was rather poorly. Thankfully now I am well on the mend.

Sadly the exhibition in Fordingbridge had to be cancelled, however the gallery were pleasantly understanding and are giving me a fresh date later in the new year. Thankfully the Guildford exhibition was all framed and ready, so a very good friend hung it for me; thanks John.

Slowly I am getting back to normal thankfully and am back working with Mind and other organisations.

As a cold snap it with us at present I thought that a coloured pencil mountain snow sketch from the Peak District would be appropriate. It was done some years ago whilst sitting in my car right on the top of Stannage Edge. It was even to cold for me. The wind was howling, the snow flying and I just was not prepare to rough it enough and sit outside. So this was produced from the relative comfort of my little Skoda.

Well tomorrow is the Epsom mental health week set up and start day, so this morning and this afternoon have been normal business;  and now it is get everything together and make sure nothing is forgotten day.

The above is one of my images which will be on display.

The next seven days will be hard work, but normally so very rewarding and I will enjoy the experience of it all. If you are around Epsom drop into St. Barnabas Church, Temple Road, I will be there and have a chat and a coffee. The weeks events are aimed at the inquisitive, the users, clients, carers and the professional lot; so you should fit in somewhere.

So now that my blog is written, my computer can be packed away and then to finish packing and put my feet up for while. That sounds good.

Well the first of three showing this autumn of my work, is now only a week and a bit away. The show is taking place throughout the Epsom Mental health Week, which has the title of "Love Me Love My Mind". It takes place at St Barnabas Church, Temple Road Epson from the 7th of October this year until the 15th of the same. As my role there is a residential artist I will be there 9 till 3ish each day and will be free and pleased to chat. Lots of other super things are happening as well.

The show this year is called bright things, because it is looking at the colour and vibrancy within nature and music; see the above image. For Epsom the picture framing is finished, there are only all the little bits to do, which you forget about until the last minuet. This morning, after finishing this, my plan is to relax and do nothing much of consequence. Has my wife other plans?

The image is of a typical village church in the Normandy corner of France; they are so tall and narrow. Sketching as you go is a special way of seeing a country, as this sketch was produced, three local ladies who were working in the grave yard came over and just spent the time of day with me. They were pleased that their church was worthy of my attention.

Just occasionally you see something and say, "Whoooo", or something like that. Well at one of my groups yesterday a chap was doing pontalistic (dots) ink work. he had two bottles of ink open, different colours and a pen in each hand. I suddenly noticed that he was working with both hands and two pens at the same time. Now that is co-ordination. He was doing  a drawing of a sea shell and it was pretty good as well. Impressed is the word.

Well its back home now for a short while and I might try to take it a tad easier; just for a day or two. My next event is in Epsom in about four weeks time, most of the preparation work is done, so all that wants doing really, it to tidy up everything which has been happening over the past few months and at the moment is making my desk look rather untidy.

The above drawing is of a farm in Normandy about half a mile from where we were staying. It was a lovely afternoon and Liz and myself just sat in the car, a long way down this very rural, wild and rustic lane. Liz was reading, whilst I was sketching; very peaceful.