Snowy Twickenham

Guy's Portrait in progress

Was working on a commission today and recorded my progress. Will post more when I complete the painting.

Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park

Today I have finished a Pembroke Lodge watercolour. I love painting trees and this view attracted me primarily by an ensemble of trees full of character and texture.

Dog walking by the sea in Dorset

I have just finished this watercolour today. It's a serene memory of my recent trip to the sea side.

Haven't painted for a while - was so busy with several exhibitions in a row. Today was a bit quieter with the last of my pre-Christmas shows over on Sunday.
Here is a bird scene I spied under the Richmond bridge back in summer. It's so cold and wet outside now so it's nice to go back to the warmer memories.

Completed Cat Art Commission

Thames Path

Unfinished Business - Cats

Here is a piece I am currently working on. Hope to finish it in next couple of days. Will post the result.

Old Bridge

My Art Kitchen

Today I've been at copying again - fascinating business. This sketch of great Repin after Valentin Serov isn't quite finished yet but I decided to post it anyway as a stage. When I complete it I will post again so that the progression of the copy can be observed.

Miss Morozova - after Valentin Serov

Today a lose copy after the oil portrait by my hero - Russian painter Valentin Serov.

Morning on the Ham Common

Dry Rose and Apples

35,5 x 25,5 cm Oil on canvas board
To buy

Dreamy Cats

5x 7 inches, watercolour
to buy

Shady Brook by the Thames near Richmond

31 x 23 cm, watercolour
buy now

To Play or Not To Play

watercolour, 23 x 31 cm

I started this one about a week ago but wasn't happy with the backgound - it was too plain so made it more interesting today.

Autumn in Richmond

Sunlight buries itself playfully in the soft, pearly cloud cussions, popping out here and there only to dive straight back in. Richmond filled with a golden glow reflects majestically in the broad waters of the Thames, adorned with colourful boats. I walk briskly through the town, hurry to collect my girl from school and the smell of autumn fills my lungs, tickles my deepest memories. They are just shades of feelings too abstract for words even inside my head. They taste bitter-sweet, I want to hug these trees, this padded sky. On the way home we stop by the river. My girl loves looking at the water up-close. We look for stones which the river brought here from the sea. We take our trophies home. When Sasha goes to bed I start a new still life.

A Pair of Figs

I place two figs on a window sill. They are withered slightly but probably still delicious inside. I study them slowly, squinting. Mild and soft September light is bathing the pair. The contrast between their plump, rich bodies and touching little pointy tops creates in me the familiar longong to paint. When it comes it's urgent. I rush for the paints, roll out the brush case with the jerk. Water. Where all the jars gone? Have to find a new one! The tap spurting tuns of frothy bubbles. Too much pressure.
Finally I'm down on the floor before my tantalising models and everything goes quiet again. The mystery begins. My needle-sharp long-leaded pencil is an extension of my fingers, my eyes and hands become one. I make the first, light, tentative strokes. Soon they grow bolder, more decisive. The firm contours reveal themselves gradually.
Now this it - the thick kolisnky sable is plunged into the clear depths of the former jam jar. Several brisk dabs at the colourful half-pens and a delightful muddy-blue liquid is trickling down the rough, thirsty paper. This feels good.

Plaster cast drawing - female hand from Bargue

I am teaching a class on classical drawing - Academic Art Class. It starts in the end of September in Ham, Richmond-upon-Thames. This is one of the demonstrations I did today in preparation for this class. It is going to be based on the 19th century teaching techniques. I am really excited and looking forward to it because I feel passionately for the cause. I think that the proper fundamental skills teaching has greatly diminished in 20th century and the whole of the art sector is suffering because of that now. Public is disorientaded and many young artists and art students are pushed towards negative, meaningless works artificially inflated by profound commentary.

Magnolia Branch

30 x 30 cm, oil

Just finished this. Had to work as quick as possible because of the peaches. They were so ripe that it didn't take them long to start getting bad.

Ham Common - a touch of autumn

Heather Path in Isabella Plantation

Went to Isabella plantation today with my mum and daughter. It is a charming enclosure within Richmond Park. There is an area there full of flowering heather bushes. The fragrance is so nice. I found myself a cosy place by the bridge over a tiny brook an dedicated an hour to au plein air painting. Here is the result.

Chiswick House Study

Gouache
25 x 19 cm

Another gouach sketch from yesterday. I am having a new gouache period at the moment.
This is garden is a little gem of south west London. Built by Earl of Burlington in 18th century this house was one of the first palladian villas in the country. It is built by William Kent following the rational geometrical principles of Classicism. This building was never intended as a home but rather as a showcase of the owners art collection. It's a calm, harmonious place for walks and sketching.

Taking Off

gouache
19 x 11 cm

Brisk gouache sketch of a gees taking off the little river running through the beautiful Chiswick House park.

Pine Tree on the Thames bank near Kingston

gouache
15 x 23 cm

One of the last fine summer days on Thames this year. Alas we didn't have many of those anyway.

"The Blue Sail"
15.4 x 11.4 cm
gouache
To Buy

Sweet Chestnut tree 1365

"Ancient Sweet Chestnut Tree"
14 x 12.2 cm, gouache
To Buy

This tree stands on the grounds of the National Physical Laboratory where we had an exhibition recently. It has been planted in mid 14th century!!! Usually there's no public access there so I've made sketches and photos of this tree while I could.

"First Plum of the New Season"
watercolour 18 x 12.5 cm
£45
To Buy

Pomegranate Bijoux

£20 GBP

To Buy

Lily Pond Twickenham

Golden Ball

Hedge Rose and an Apple

Seagulls at low tide

Figs

White Currants

Birman Kitten Ayo

Stones

Black Currants

Opera Rose

Chocolate Cat

Brighton Pier

I've spent a lot of time today trying to get this watercolour right.

Hampton Court Palace on hot summer day

More gouache.

Bliss

This is gouache. I have bought a set of gouache paints on the spur of the moment recently. It felt a bit like the home coming when I was painting this picture. It's more then 15 years since I painted my last gouache back in the university. Gosh, it felt good! Didn't realise what a way I had come in those years! Will do more of this soon.