My next show will be as part of the Wirksworth Festival Art and Architecture Trail on 8 and 9 September – a great opportunity to explore the town and view a wide range of art and craft.  My last event of the year will be with colleagues from Peak District Artisans as part of their Winter Artisan Fair on 3 and 4 November at the Whitworth Centre in Darley Dale.  An event perfectly timed for Christmas shopping!

I am pleased to announce that both my entries to the Derbyshire Open Art Exhibition have been selected and one, a watercolour entitled ‘Mount Famine and Kinder Bank’ (pictured), has received a County Council Award.  The exhibition runs until 31st August at the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery

As part of Derbyshire Open Arts I will be exhibiting this weekend at Holymoorside near Chesterfield, alongside a number of other artists across a range of disciplines.  Refreshments – tea, coffee, cake and sandwiches – will also be available.  After a great week at Tissington – beautiful weather and lots of visitors – I’m hoping for the same this weekend.  For full details please see the exhibitions and events page.

My next show will be at Tissington Well Dressings from Thursday 10 May until Wednesday 16 May, open 10.00 to 17.00.  There are six beautiful well dressings, refreshments available in the village hall and Herberts Tea Room, and an opportunity to see my work.  Fingers crossed the sun shines!  Hope to see you there.

The winter weather makes painting outside somewhat unattractive, and as a result I have been spending more time working in the studio.  One outcome is a series of still life paintings, which can be found on a new page dedicated to that genre.  I’m hoping the weather will eventually improve and I can get out and about again.

A belated welcome to 2018 – where did January disappear to?  Details of events I will be attending this year can now be found on the Exhibitions and Events page.  At present I have a small selection of work on show at the Peak District Artisans event at Chatsworth House.  The house itself may not be open, but there is still the joy of a walk in the park, tea and cake in the tearoom, and some fantastic art and craft to view – what’s not to like!

My next and final show for 2017 will be at the Peak District Artisans Winter Fair and Banks Mill Open Studios in Derby.  I will have some of my most recent work on show, and it is an ideal opportunity to stock up on cards for Christmas and those new year birthdays.  With over 50 Artisan stalls and 35 Open Studios there will be a lot to see.  Further details on the Exhibition and Events page.

Back in September I went to a private view of the competition and, as you can see from the photo below, took full advantage of the hospitality!  The exhibition now moves on to Trowbridge Town Hall where it can be seen from 11 November until 23 December, before continuing its tour at Guildford House Gallery from 13 January until 10 March.

I was delighted to once again be selected for the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition.  My painting,  ‘Sedbergh and the Howgills’ below, features in the exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London this week, closing on 24 September – I’m off there on Thursday for the evening private view.  The exhibition then moves on to Trowbridge Arts from 11 November to 23 December and Guildford House Gallery from the 13 January to 10 March.

Once again Wirksworth will be full of art as the annual Art & Architecture trail takes place.  I will once again be exhibiting at Church View, The Croft – admittedly a bit of a steep climb up Greenhill, but I hope those who make it feel it was worthwhile.  With street performance and live music around the town as well, it makes for an interesting and fun day out.