Hello World!

Tonight I had to find a couple of web page references for my http://www.behance.net/Gallery, and I was astounded to discover my images in all kinds of unexpected places - several blogs in America, plus an advert for a digital painter whose work resembles mine! How bizarre is that.
Also, the blog I make for my Nordic Walking Club achieved a higher rating than some of the galleries I supply, which indicates to me that more people read my blog than look at my work.......so, as I like to write, I may as well do that and get some exposure for my writing as well as my painting.

I have just bought a pochade box from pochade.co.uk, and filled it with luscious goodies from greatart.co.uk. I am planning to spend next week getting on top of some of my commissions, and then, I am packing my camper van, and I am off. No internet. just me. the dog(see photo above of Scribble dozing in the sunshine) and my pochade box. It is going to test my painting ability - I have spent many years now increasingly using photographs and painting indoors - a sure way to become stagnant and out of love with painting.
Last Sunday a scorcher, I persuaded Al my lovely and patient other half, to drive up to the Brecon canal, so we could check out the slipway possibilities for our sit-on kayak, and have a pleasant walk alongside the canal, shaded by trees and lined with great pubs. First, we couldn't find the canal, and when we did, there was no water in it. Which didn't deter Scribble from hurling himself into the canal, squelching up to his belly in stinking black mud. Al leapt to his rescue, losing his Oakley sunglasses in the process.
Oh well, I saw lots of places I'd like to paint anyway....
So when you see me next, I hope to have a clutch of little paintings in my hand that are at least an honest response to my surroundings.