A Quote from Edward Burne-Jones

Posted on December 25, 2011 by David

I mean by a picture a beautiful romantic dream of something that never was, never will be – in a light better than any light that ever shone – in a land no one can define or remember, only desire – and the forms divinely beautiful.

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Pennine Moors: A Winter Landscape

Posted on December 23, 2011 by David

Acrylic on deep edge canvas. 30 x 40 inches. Unframed.

Winter landscapes are more subdued than other seasons but that lets textures and the occasional bright colours sing out the in the final painting.  Dried grasses and distant trees give a velvety richness. The horizon provides a band of brightness that is the only sign that somewhere the winter sun is shining.

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Sketchbook page: Manorbier June 2011

Posted on September 4, 2011 by David

The quicker the sketch, the better sometimes. I wanted to catch the bright reflections and constant movement of the sea and the people

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Whitby sketchbook pages

Posted on September 4, 2011 by David


The North Beach at Whitby 2011. A watercolour from one of my very posh moleskine sketchbooks. Mind you, I ran out of water and ended up using lemonade to wet the paints. Shouldn’t call it a ‘watercolour’ really…

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Work in Progress: Portrait

Posted on August 29, 2011 by David

Here’s a photo of a portrait of @MrPaddyMcGrath. I’m about half way through – and this is the second version of the portrait. I lost my way with the first version, tried too hard to get a likeness at the expense of the freshness and life of the painting. So this is a cleaner, fresher version. The trick, of course, is to know when to stop painting…

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Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow by Anselm Kiefer

Posted on August 27, 2011 by David

I like the bit where the concrete powder falls off the surface of the painting. It’s industrial and dramatic! This next clip features a seemingly abandoned city…

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Wanted: Volunteers for a Portrait!

Posted on August 11, 2011 by David


Do you want to have your portrait painted? I’m looking for volunteers in the Bolton or Horwich area who are able to come along to my studio and sit for a portrait. I can’t offer a fee but if you’re interested in being immortalised in paint, this could be your chance. You’ll need to commit to at least three hour-long sittings. Apart from that you don’t need any qualifications or experience whatsoever-just a bit of patience and the ability to sit reasonably still! You can contact me here.

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Lucian Freud’s Standing by Rags (from The Guardian)

Posted on July 26, 2011 by David



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Work in Progress: Tenby Beach

Posted on July 25, 2011 by David

Holidays in Wales are always great places to get inspiration for paintings.

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Life Drawing: Male Nude

Posted on June 6, 2011 by David

Here’s another from my life drawing class. Life drawing is just about the best practice an artist can get. Why? Because even the smallest mistake is immediately obvious. Slight errors in scale, form or tone that would go unnoticed in a landscape or still life are immediately obvious on the figure. You can get away with nothing!

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