News & Events
I was delighted to have been awarded Best Watercolour/Opaque at the Sea Side Art Gallery's Annual Art of the Miniature Exhibition in Nags Head, North Carolina, USA, for my painting, 'The Long Withered Grass.'
The gallery has a fine selection of miniature works, including sculpture, always available for sale and I am very pleased to be among their featured artists.
The prospectus and entry forms for the Fine Art In Miniature Exhibition by the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington, DC, has arrived so a busy time ahead for me as work has to be be ready, framed and delivered to America by September 9th at the very latest.
This will be the 90th annual exhibition by the MPSG and is held at the Mansion, Strathmore, North Bethesda from November 18th '23 to January 13th '24.
At last years exhibition, my miniature 'Hope' won the Margaret Hicks Award so I feel a certain amount of pressure to turn in some really good entries for this years show!
The last illustration for 'Much Ado About Mice' is done and all the pieces ready now to go off to the printers. This is the fourth and final book in the Kit the Mouse series and will be available exclusively from B and W Thornton of Henley Street, Stratford Upon Avon.
The gallery has a fine selection of miniature works, including sculpture, always available for sale and I am very pleased to be among their featured artists.
The prospectus and entry forms for the Fine Art In Miniature Exhibition by the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington, DC, has arrived so a busy time ahead for me as work has to be be ready, framed and delivered to America by September 9th at the very latest.
This will be the 90th annual exhibition by the MPSG and is held at the Mansion, Strathmore, North Bethesda from November 18th '23 to January 13th '24.
At last years exhibition, my miniature 'Hope' won the Margaret Hicks Award so I feel a certain amount of pressure to turn in some really good entries for this years show!
The last illustration for 'Much Ado About Mice' is done and all the pieces ready now to go off to the printers. This is the fourth and final book in the Kit the Mouse series and will be available exclusively from B and W Thornton of Henley Street, Stratford Upon Avon.
My studio has been a hive of activity of late with miniatures produced for three upcoming exhibitions.
First, four entries for the 31st annual invitational international exhibition - The Art of The Miniature - at The Snow Goose Gallery in Bethlehem, PA, USA. Deadline for entries was April 1st and I'm happy to say my parcel of paintings arrived just in the nick of time. The exhibition runs from May 7th to June 10th and will shortly be available to view online.
Next, entries for the Hilliard Society of Miniaturists annual exhibition June 10th to the 17th in Wells, Somerset, and finally work for the Royal Society of Miniature Painters exhibition at its exciting new venue, The Bankside Gallery in London. Dates are June 28th to July 8th.
With these commitments met, I am resuming illustrations for 'Much Ado About Mice', the fourth and final book in the Kit the Mouse series by Barry Thornton. Only three more paintings to complete the project with publication later in the year.
First, four entries for the 31st annual invitational international exhibition - The Art of The Miniature - at The Snow Goose Gallery in Bethlehem, PA, USA. Deadline for entries was April 1st and I'm happy to say my parcel of paintings arrived just in the nick of time. The exhibition runs from May 7th to June 10th and will shortly be available to view online.
Next, entries for the Hilliard Society of Miniaturists annual exhibition June 10th to the 17th in Wells, Somerset, and finally work for the Royal Society of Miniature Painters exhibition at its exciting new venue, The Bankside Gallery in London. Dates are June 28th to July 8th.
With these commitments met, I am resuming illustrations for 'Much Ado About Mice', the fourth and final book in the Kit the Mouse series by Barry Thornton. Only three more paintings to complete the project with publication later in the year.
It was a great start to 2023 for me with an award from the Miniature Art Society Of Florida for my painting, The Kingfisher Flies, which won first place in the Opaque Watercolour Award. Three of my four entries have sold sold far and the exhibition runs until early February. As a result of this, I have been invited to submit work to the internationally renowned 48th Birds In Art Exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin, USA. Only one work will be selected for exhibition so I shall have to pull out al the stops if my work is to attract the judges eye.
I am steadily working my way through the illustrations for the final book in the Kit the Mouse series by Barry Thornton.
Eight have been completed so far and four more to go. Such a change from my miniature work as these paintings measure 6.5" x 9.5" - enormous by my standards!
I am looking forward to planning new work for submission to the Royal Miniature Society Exhibition at the Bankside Gallery in London. A really exciting new venue.
I am steadily working my way through the illustrations for the final book in the Kit the Mouse series by Barry Thornton.
Eight have been completed so far and four more to go. Such a change from my miniature work as these paintings measure 6.5" x 9.5" - enormous by my standards!
I am looking forward to planning new work for submission to the Royal Miniature Society Exhibition at the Bankside Gallery in London. A really exciting new venue.
So excited to finally take delivery of my children's book, 'Jessica Fluffy Gurmington Swine'. Wonderful to see it in print after all this time and to be able to hold an actual book.
The story features Jessica and her friend Hugo who go in search of the truth behind the tale of the Gurmington Swine curse - that the eldest Gurmington Swine child will turn into a pig for a year and a day on the eve of their tenth birthday.
Jessica is about to turn ten and is, understandably, rather concerned.
With the help of her grandparents, Jessica and Hugo travel to see her eccentric aunt, Louella Lulabelle, and find out more about what Jessica refers to as her 'super weird' family.
The book is priced at 6.99 and I will be happy to deal with any enquiries through this website.
I was delighted to receive the Margaret Hicks Memorial Award for the 'Best New Artist' for my miniature painting, 'Hope', from the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers of Washington.
This is my first time of exhibiting with the Society who are holding their 89th Annual Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature at the Strathmore Mansion, a stunning arts venue just outside Bethesda.
The exhibition will be going online in late October 2022 and I am looking forward to seeing the 651 exhibits in this prestigious show, selected by a judging panel from many hundreds of entries from around the world.
Another award has come my way - this time it's the Best Watercolour/Gouache Award at the 30th International Miniature Art Show at the Seaside Art Gallery, Nags Head, North Carolina, USA.
It was for my miniature on vellum, The Smallest Twig' and the judge for the award commented :
'This work employs not only watercolour techniques but also the technical ability of the illuminator of old with the graphic design and patterns alongside carefully rendered text, everything working together to reward the viewer, and reader, as in days of old.
It was done on a smaller scale by the artist's choice to have the viewer cradling it close for examination and reward.'
Another date for the calendar is the R M S Annual Exhibition to be held at the Mall Galleries in London from November 25th to December 5th. It seems a long time ahead but it's scary how quickly these dates creep up on me !
It was for my miniature on vellum, The Smallest Twig' and the judge for the award commented :
'This work employs not only watercolour techniques but also the technical ability of the illuminator of old with the graphic design and patterns alongside carefully rendered text, everything working together to reward the viewer, and reader, as in days of old.
It was done on a smaller scale by the artist's choice to have the viewer cradling it close for examination and reward.'
Another date for the calendar is the R M S Annual Exhibition to be held at the Mall Galleries in London from November 25th to December 5th. It seems a long time ahead but it's scary how quickly these dates creep up on me !
2022 has been a very busy year so far with my miniatures shown at the Sea Side Art Gallery and Snow Goose Gallery’s annual international miniature art exhibitions in the USA, and the Hilliard Society of Miniaturists annual show here in the UK.
The Royal Society of Miniaturists exhibition is not taking place this year as, after many years at the Mall Galleries, the show moves to the very exciting new venue of the Bankside Gallery in London. The dates are 28 th June – 8 th July 2023 so plenty of time for me to plan ahead with new works to submit. Situated on the Thames river front beside the Tate Modern in a popular and vibrant part of London, this promises to be a wonderful new venue for the Society.
I have just completed seven new works destined for two exhibitions in the USA later in the year. The Miniature, Sculptor and Gravers of Washington Annual International Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature runs from November 19 th 2022 to January 7 th 2023, and the 48 th Annual International Miniature Show of the Miniature Art Society of Florida is from January 15 th to February 5 th 2023.
The rest of this year will be taken up by my illustrating the fourth book in the series of the adventures of Tudor mouse, Kit, by Barry Thornton, set in and around Stratford upon Avon. So far I have completed the books cover, end papers and two of the illustrations in the text. The next task, I am told, will be to illustrate a battle scene featuring pirate mice and a great deal of detail!
An exciting project for me has been the completion of the book I wrote during lockdown 2020 for the grandchildren. ‘Jessica Fluffy Gurmington Swine’ – the grandchildren provided the name! – follows the adventures of Jessica and her friend Hugo as they try to discover if the tale of the Gurmington Swine curse is true and along the way learn a lot about what Jessica refers to as her ‘super weird’ family. There are some illustrations in black and white which are nothing like my usual work but the whole thing has been huge fun and it will be wonderful to see it in print.
2021 - and exhibitions are taking place once again with the Seaside Art Gallery and the Snow Goose Gallery in the USA both hosting their annual international miniature art shows throughout May - the Snow Goose Galleries exhibition continuing until June 13. I was very pleased to have work accepted for both.
The Hilliard Society of Miniaturists here in the UK will be holding their annual exhibition in Wells, Somerset from June 5 to the 12 and I was very honoured to be given a new award, The Gladys Hayton Animal and Wildlife Award for my miniature, 'The Stars Shone Out In Heaven'.I have been approached by Martin Dawber, an author of art and design relayed books, who is working on a book featuring diversions in contemporary cat portraiture and asked if he could use some images of my work to illustrate the text. No date as yet for publication but very exciting to be asked and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished book.
Meanwhile, I'm busy painting as usual and soon to start work on a commission for a special occasion. So it's business as usual, coffee and radio on, and brushes at the ready!
It is no great surprise that exhibitions have been cancelled for the remainder of 2020 and even the MASF show in Florida, due to be held in early 2021, will not be taking place.
There are entries from around the world and they all have to be in the gallery by the autumn. With the continuing uncertainty of the pandemic, the organisers have decided not to go ahead.
At the start of the lockdown life carried on pretty much the same as usual for us both and, as Alan and I both work alone, keeping our distance from other people was not a problem.
Whilst Alan has been kept very busy with his classic car restoration projects, my work has slowed up of late so it has been very good to take the opportunity to finish off lots of projects long neglected, and plan new work for the new year.
Meanwhile, our granddaughter, Izabella, has been racking up the accolades with her drawing published in The Beano in August, and a fantastically successful yard sale - her own idea - which included her hand painted mini canvasses and raised enough money to but a huge trolley full of essential items for our local food bank.
Needless to say, we are very proud of her, and, with arty genes on both sides of the family it's good to see that she and her brother, Ethan, derive much pleasure from drawing, painting and creating all sorts of marvellous things. I have a veritable gallery of their work at home!
And so, as autumn approaches, I am looking forward to new ideas, new directions and more exciting projects for 2021.
