what be they?

the sun has shone for days....the forests looks amazing
the bluebells are out in places...but not quite at their best yet behind my house



i have been making another video

the story of a painting....a painting painted outside in the sunshine
a painting that ends up being hung in this gallery as part of my soon to open summerland show

the film maker is the talented woody morris...and this is the first film of his that i saw
moseley green - the story one man’s resilience to a changing forest

Moseley Green from woodrow morris on Vimeo.

my new video is coming soon,
as are lots of photos of the orchard i have been lucky enough to enjoy this spring

six little birds

i first read about maki and her 1000 birds for japan project on india's blog

6 little birds have flown into my forest....thank you maki
so beautifully made, and presented



and a poignant reminder not to forget

click here if you would like to read about the project

yellow ribbons

here in the forest yellow ribbons appeared on trees...all sorts of different trees

not actually officially part of the hoof campaign to save the forest from the effect of proposed legislation
but it became a wide spread symbol of peoples discontent and protest



here is a painting i painted at the time its one of three and part of my 'summerland' solo show (more paintings here)

yellow ribbon 72x24 inches
mixed media on canvas

the yellow ribbons became the wood pigeons i see so often...flocks of them eating the acorns in the winter months

all but a very few of the ribbons were removed on febuary 19th at a victory day celebrating a temporary reprieve

but these are still here



attached to one of the roadside memorials of which sadly there are more


i see it most days...it makes me think

faith and doubt

today is turning into a very good day
sam phillips has sent me the first draft of an essay about my work
that he has written for my new solo show 'summerland'

to say i am delighted is a huge understatement!

he also sent this a link to a guardian film
made with artist jyll bradley it's

about flowers
and artists
and cornwall
and trains


and about faith and doubt

i think it's beautiful and moving and inspiring






its also reminds me of a story i was told by an old forester
about the train that took the first plums of the season from the forest of dean
to london....
and how like the flowers they were regarded as so special by people living in the city

teaching and learning

a few days ago i held a painting workshop in my studio

we had fun
we worked hard

we used a lot of paint!

but lots of paint....colours mixed by the workshop painters was left

colours that i don't usually use...new colours

i didn't want to waste the paint....the colours were so vibrant and spring like

i had run out of my favourite colour of green (ara acrylics in green gold)
so instead i painted a series of meadows using the left over paint

a spring series

using more blues and lilacs and purples than i usually use...colours mixed to paint hyacinths

and different greens
here are some details from one painting

and here's the finished painting

Spring 100cmsx100cms

painting it reminded me of portugal...
where the lupins will be blooming soon
and spring comes early

these paintings will soon be on their way to the corte real gallery in portugal

the next workshop is painting roses on 11th may
i'm looking forward to it...teaching and learning !

fading but still bright

i bought a metal box...with beautiful colours

fading in and out

bright and cloudy

it influenced and informed a painting that will be part of my new solo show

here are some painting details




the box and a memory of foxgloves in a misty distance
lead to this finished painting



i'm thinking of another bright but fading memory
of a beautiful time in a beautiful place
new zealand
where i was planning to be this month

my thoughts and prayers are there

valentine's day

just back for a beautiful, inspiring but too short trip to brittany

saint malo, megaliths, the emerald coast and paimpol


great scenery mixed with sunshine and wonderful food...perfect





and this from paul verlaine printed on a sign near to the megaliths

"here are fruits,
and flowers,
and leaves
and branches.
and then,
here, my heart,
that beats only for you"