Latest News and Progress

28 August 2017

SOLD! Watchhouse to Ferry Steps

It’s always a delight to sell a painting, but even more so when I meet the purchaser and learn why they chose the painting and what it means to them. I always want my paintings to go to a good home!

What made me want to paint Watchhouse to Ferry Steps?

As a child of six, my first recollection of visiting Salcombe was with my parents in 1949 by way of the East Portlemouth Ferry. My father had prudently driven from our holiday accommodation in Littlehempstone to East Portlemouth, preferring to pay for a ferry ride for his family, rather than a parking fee.

Scampering up the steps past the Ferry Inn had my mother racing after me and my brother, while my father popped into the Ferry Inn for a beer.

Later in life, waiting for the ferry gave me time to enjoy the lovely views of water, boats, town and the back drop of farmland.

Ultimately, 60 years after my first visit, I got down to creating my version of this iconic view.

60 years on: Sketch of Watchhouse to Ferry Steps

What attracted the buyer to this painting?

As with many of my original paintings, the image of Watchhouse to Ferry Steps was turned into a fine art greetings card. At the recent Salcombe Town Regatta, I was supporting this worthy cause by selling my cards in Island Street.

One customer exclaimed ‘My house!” and pointed out the Watch House as a family holiday home. The lovely lady enquired if the original painting was still for sale. I was so pleased to tell her, yes.

On the Sunday, now selling cards in Whitestrand to support Salcombe Town Regatta, I had the original with me. The lady (and friends) came to examine it and I’m happy to say it is now with the ‘right’ owner.

The history of the Watch House

I have subsequently discovered – thanks to a book called A Salcombe Photographer: Images of the collection of AE Fairweather, compiled by Tim Burr and Nicola Fox – that, in 1896, the Watch House was occupied by the Coastguard.

Affordable art – helping local charities

In 2018, I will start selling cards to help local charities. My Hope Cove image has been used for the Hope Cove Lifeboat, and I’m in discussions with organisers of other good causes about which image might be used to boost their funds.

If you would like to get involved with this project, please contact me.

21 August 2017

One-man exhibition 13-26 August in the Little Studio at the Loft Gallery, Salcombe

My one-man exhibition in the Little Studio at the Loft Gallery, Salcombe continues until Saturday 26 August.

I’ve space to show a wide range of my art in this one-man exhibition: watercolours, acrylics and oils. Fifteen paintings in all.

In the image below, you can see 12 of them.

2017 Little Studio one-man exhibition

Top row: (left to right) Gullet Plantation, Deliah, Salcombe Yacht Club’s Christmas Camellias, Torcross Wave

Middle row: (left to right) Scoble Point Moorings, Harvest Reaper II, Hope Cove, Dappled Light III

Bottom row: (left to right) Burgh Island from Hope Cove, At Ditch End, South Pool Sunrise, Tranquility

For those keen on a particular medium, these are the oils: Gullet Plantation, Scoble Point Moorings, Harvest Reaper II, Hope Cove, Dappled Light III, At Ditch End, and South Pool Sunrise.

The rest shown here are acrylics.

WHERE IS THE LOFT GALLERY?

The Loft Gallery is situated behind the Fortescue Inn, and above a popular shoe shop, on a delightful footpath called Victoria Quay, which overlooks one of the best views in the UK including the mooring berth of the RNLI lifeboat Baltic Exchange III.

AFFORDABLE ART

Out of 135 completed paintings to date, 59 of these are available as fine art greetings cards.

My cards are stocked at Bonningtons (the newsagents) and Salcombe Information Centre (both a short walk from the Loft Studio). Further afield, my cards are stocked by Malborough Post Office – they offer the entire range – The Gallery Project at Avon Mill and at Noss Mayo, and in Bloomers, the florist in Kingsbridge.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original painting, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself.

108 Salcombe Dawn III one-man exhibition

14 August 2017

One-man exhibition 13-26 August – Loft Gallery, Salcombe

My one-man exhibition 13-26 August in the Little Studio at the Loft Gallery, Salcombe opened yesterday and continues until Saturday week.

I’ve space to show a wide range of my art in this one-man exhibition: watercolours, acrylics and oils. Fifteen paintings in all.

During the next two weeks, I’ll share news of the 15 images on show, and hope you will find time to visit the gallery to see them in person. You might even be tempted to buy one!

Salcombe Dawn III

The featured image, Salcombe Dawn III, and the top one in the photo to the right, as the name suggests, is the third painting of the view across to Salcombe from Snapes. The other two were both oil paintings and one has sold already.

This image of Salcombe was captured very early one morning. I’d invested in a photography course with Bang Wallop, and a small group of us drove up to Snapes in the early hours so we’d be in position as the dawn broke. I’d never before sat in the dark, with a group of strangers, cameras ready, waiting for the sun to appear on the horizon. It was a magical experience, and provided a series of wonderful photographs.

WHERE IS THE LOFT GALLERY?

AFFORDABLE ART

Out of 135 completed paintings to date, 59 of these are available as fine art greetings cards.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original painting, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself.