Big Rocks Out West

We,ve been travelling west again today, after visit to the Acoma Pueblo Sky City Native American settlement this morning. Some fascinating history and great scenery too, with Mount Taylor looming in the distance. I’ll probably do some paintings of the area before too long.
Meanwhile we took Highway 53 west, instead of Route 66, because it was billed as a really scenic drive. I’m not sure that the scenery was any more outstanding than other parts of New Mexico, but we did pass by El Morro National Monument, which is a huge and quite colourful rock formation. I got my Bockingford sketch-pad out and using a preliminary drawing in ink, did this quick watercolour sketch.
The landscape is getting more dramatic as we slowly travel west towards the Grand Canyon, so I’m hoping for more sketching opportunities soon!

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Moving further West

We’re in New Mexico now and the scenery is really becoming much more dramatic. Up until we reached Amarillo in Texas it was quite hard to believe that we’re not in England. Lots of green fields, trees, and gently rolling countryside. Not really what we expected.
But now, mountains are looming and the rocks are red and gold. Time to get my paints out! I’ll try to post some paintings soon, but there is still many a mile to travel. Tomorrow we will go to Santa Fe, the art capital of the West. I wonder if they would like any Norfolk watercolours?

West from the Ozarks

We have been relaxing for couple of days in the Ozarks mountains, before pushing on into Oklahoma. I haven’t done any sketching here as the Ozarks, although green and pleasant, are not the most inspiring of landscapes. Very low hills and lots of trees, surrounding the Lake which is the main reason people come here, for water sports or to relax by the waterside and drink a lot!
Here are a couple of photos from earlier in the trip, one of the Chicago skyline at night and one of a Route 66 mural by artist Bob Waldmire, one of several that he did on walls in Pontiac, Illinois.

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Steve in St. Louis

Yes, a lot of travelling has taken place since my last post. Margaret and I are currently in St Louis, Missouri at the start of our Route 66 road trip across the USA from Chicago to LA. I’ll be posting a few photos and sketches here over the next three weeks, so I hope you will be able to get something of the flavour of the trip. 300 miles today from Chicago to St Louis. And there’s a thunder storm raging, so no outdoor sketching this evening!

Continuing Small Works

Small Works exhibition preview
The opening evening at the West Norfolk Artists Association ‘Small Works’ exhibition
A few days left to catch this intriguing exhibition, which included two of my own works. In the accompanying photo you can see the striking effect of the coloured background to each work. The venue is the Shakespeare Barn at King’s Lynn Arts Centre galleries, located behind the Guildhall in King Street, King’s Lynn. Open daily 10am – 5pm from now until Saturday 15th September.

Sketching in Snettisham

Have just spent a really pleasant weekend running a sketching workshop in nearby Snettisham. We had nine people on the course and were able to do several circuits of this picturesque village, drawing and painting along the way. Actually probably more drawing than painting, although there was quite a bit of pen and wash.

Pencil sketch of Snettisham church
A pencil sketch of Snettisham church, Norfolk

A few days before the workshop I thought “better do some practice”, so I did this pencil sketch of the church. It had one of the tallest spires in Norfolk and is quite a landmark.

Small really works!

The West Norfolk Artists Association, of which I’ve been a member for many years, are staging a Small Works exhibition at the Shakespeare Barn, King’s Lynn Arts Centre galleries. Opening on Saturday 8th September, it runs for a week until Saturday 15th.

The format for the exhibition is unusual in that all the works must be no larger than twelve inches square. Each work is displayed on a twenty-four inch square coloured background, the colour being the artists choice I’ll post some photos of the exhibition once it has formally opened, but you can see one of my two works here. This one is entitled ‘Dersingham Pier – November’ and is in a combination of Indian ink and watercolour. Yes, those winter sunsets really are like that!

Dersingham Pier - November
Dersingham Pier – November
Ink and Watercolour

Another wedding commission

kimberley church norfolk
St Peter’s, Kimberley, Norfolk

I seem to get quite a few wedding commissions, usually to paint a view of the church or wedding venue. This one is St Peter’s in the village of Kimberley near Wymondham in Norfolk. I did it as a pen and wash which works well when the subject has to be recognisable and not too many liberties taken!
My thanks to Arabella who commissioned the work and to the happy couple, Jamie and Una who are getting married there on the 15th September.