Wayfarers All

I'm re-reading 'The Wind In The Willows' at the moment (I got it for Christmas) and enjoying it immensely.
I particularly asked for the edition with Arthur Rackham's illustrations because I wanted to compare them with E.H. Shepard's version, which I'd studied previously.
Shephard had reputedly used Ely courthouse to inspire his drawings of Toad on trial and I have been making my own drawings of this, in preparation for my painting 'Who Stole The Toothpaste'.
However, although I love Shepard's sparky images of Toad, I feel that Rackham's more painterly style is nearer to what I want  in my work.
When I was teaching at the Sixth Form College, I discovered an original drawing by Arthur Rackham in my stockroom.  I alerted the management to my discovery (I'm very honest!) and they got it restored.
It turned out that Rackham's sister-in- law was a governor of the school and she had presented it
 many years before.

New Beginnings

I've just cleared away  the material which inspired my painting 'Hinaki',  now that it is finished .
' Who Stole The Toothpaste?' is my new picture and I'm currently experimenting on eight little canvases to try and get the effects I want. 
I've put up all the archive material in the studio, which was collected over the last two years, including a model of Mr Toad. Illustrations and paintings by other artists, as well as my own research drawings also help to give me ideas and help solve problems.
Lettering plays an important part in this picture as it appears as an underlying texture in the background. I've been working from an enlarged paper copy of an early 20th century ceramic toothpaste lid, to try and get the style and words I need.
Lots still to do but I think I'm getting closer to starting the final piece.

Useful Presents

My friends and family seem to find it useful to buy me presents for Christmas  in connection with either the gallery or my painting.
Why else would I get a 1950s Sooty annual from my brother if it could not be added to archive material for my paintings 'Duet' and 'Offrenda', where I used the said character?
Yve and Isobel both gave me more objects for the dolls house. A car for the nursery and a miniature gardening set can now be added to the collection. I used the dolls house and its objects in some of the pictures such as 'Fools Gold' and 'In Three Our Kingdom'.
You can see all these paintings in my website on the PRINTS FOR SALE page.

Blind Date

Just before Christmas, Joe decided he wanted to buy one of my prints for his son-in-law.
Fearing that it might be too risky to post, he arranged with Nigel , who organises my prints, to meet in a garden centre about half way between both their homes.
As neither had met each other before, it could have been difficult, but the exchange seems to have been carried out successfully.
He bought 'Another Year', printed on canvas, which you can see on the PRINTS FOR SALE page on my website.