A yearly event and great opportunity. I was approached by Anna Parkes who runs Gallery Tresco through Martin Val Baker who runs the Rainyday gallery in Penzance. Anna had seen an exhibition of my work at Rainyday and asked Martin if he would mind if I were to exhibit work at Gallery Tresco. It has been a great success. Most galleries tend to guard there artists jealously, but Martin has always promoted his artists in the best way. So a big thanks to Martin.

Since being at Gallery Tresco I have been involved with several artist in residencies and a substantial commission for Tresco Estate. Here’s some of the works that I have done in and around Tresco and Bryher.

The middle painting hangs in the same complex with the work of Ivon Hitchens, Barbara Hepworth amongst others. The way it works is great. As a gallery Artist Anna invites me over to stay in one of the chalet’s usually for a week, sometimes for two weeks if I go with my partner Julia who also exhibits at Gallery Tresco and so back in January 2008 we had two weeks and we all went across. I make sure I have some blank canvas’s ready and they get shipped over, and It really just works very well I have my canvas’s and paint everything I need. I can wander around the Island, paint and draw where I like. It’s a great time of year to be there. I had a few days by myself before Julia and the children arrived with all kinds of weather from horizontal hail, stormy through to beautiful sunny weather. It tends to be a lot quieter in January which is great for me I can wander about, particularly on the south west coast of Byher. It’s a spectacular place. looking out towards Norrard Rocks, Bishops Rock Lighthouse, amongst this shattered landscape and the storms here a something else.

Artist in Residence Tresco 2009 and The begining of my coastal cycle tour

I have just reeturned  (Dec. 2009) from doing my yearly artist in residence on Tresco. This year I decided to go by myself, I guess I just felt that I needed to have the time just to myself. Julia will be doing her artist in residence in Januarey 2010. This year the weather was fab…………. really stormy with clear sky’s and really huge waves. Bryher was as exciting as ever. This year was quite special as I have used this opportunity to finally start my cycle tour and you can follow that on my cycle tour page.

Here are just 3 images of what it was like. I went through several sketchbooks and finished several paintings which in anticipation I had started in my studio and took out with me to finish. As this is the start of my coastal cycle tour I will use the cycle tour page to document the journey.

And here are some images from one of the sketchbooks I filled on Bryher….

So this is where it all begins just walking or cycling around with a few materials, sketchbook pencils, watercolours, nothing complicated and seeing whats out there. I can spend days and days just filling sketchbooks. Not worrying what the drawing looks like just responding very instinctively to what I see. At this stage this is just, well I was going to say fun, but it is more complex than that, it is play and fun is a part of that. Eventually through this process you finally end up with something like this …..

Winter Sea Bryher 28×60 inches Oil on canvas 2010