Winter morning, Venice - oil 10 x 12”
It’s around 50 years ago since I first discovered the souqs, dusty alleyways and desert landscapes of Arabia and since then my painting travels have taken me to the Arabian Gulf, Egypt, Oman and Morocco and many of my clients think that I’m primarily a painter of Middle Eastern and Arabian subjects. With advancing years, I’ve probably done enough trekking through deserts, wandering through souqs and ancient cities and sleeping under the stars on the tailgate of a Land Rover but my studio has a collection of sketches, watercolours and photos, which are both a record of how much has changed in the last half century but also are a source of material and inspiration for new paintings. This summer I have been working on a collection of Middle East pictures, ranging from pen and wash sketches to watercolours and oils and these will be on show in the Wykeham Gallery’s Christmas exhibition, which opens on November 21st. www.wykehamgallery.co.uk
Taif Souq, Saud Arabia - pen & wash sketch 25 x 19 cm
The mosque at Karnak Temple - Oil 8 x 10”
Souq entrance, Marrakech - Pen and wash sketch 28 x 20 cm
There are also some Venetian oils in the studio and before the winter really descends I will be back on the North York Moors
The sketches are typical of the way I work on site with a pen, a retractable brush and a small watercolour box.