Invitation

Chimera

Chimera (Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 ins)

Another one finished for the new show.

Spectre

Spectre (Oil on canvas, 30 x 24 ins)

There's a lot of reflection on this, so I may have to wait until it's hanging on the gallery wall before I can get a good photograph of it.

Near The Rookery

Near The Rookery (Oil on canvas, 24 x 24 ins)

The first of the new Rock and Tree series paintings is finished. Titles are always a problem, and I'm not certain I'll keep this one, but I'm very happy with the painting.

And one more ...

Chimera (work in progress)

I wasn't planning on doing another piece for the upcoming show, but I came across this while I was in the studio. I drew it onto canvas a few weeks ago, but put it to one side. Trying to see if it would work, I got some colour onto it this afternoon.

Part of it is based on a sketchbook drawing from our first trip to The Rookery in 2010:

I'm unsure of it at the moment. It may work out, but whether it'll go into the show ....

Further Work

Log Figure (work in progress)

Not a good photograph, but decent enough  to demonstrate the addition of the forest in the background. A little more work on that background and some fiddling here and there, and it'll be done..

Third New Painting

Baroque (work in progress)

This is the third new painting for next month's show and probably the last I'll be doing for it. It's a fairly small picture, only 16 x 16 ins, and is edging into slightly strange new territory for me. I'm intrigued to know where it might be leading me.

Second New Painting

Rookery Rock (work in progress)

Another new painting begun today, continuing the Rock and Tree series.. This one is based on a sketchbook drawing I did last year at The Rookery in Bishopdale:



Sketchbook drawing.

New Work

Log Figure (work in progress)

Even though my two man show is currently running at Alnwick right now (still time for you to get up there and catch it!), I'm working out some new subject matter for my next show, which will be a solo effort throughout August in Newcastle .

I've been thinking about my Rock and Tree series and how that might be enlarged and expanded upon. The shades of Graham Sutherland and Paul Nash are sitting in the studio right now giving me advice and this is today's freshly started painting.

Private View at Bailiffgate

Across the mezzanine.

Three small paintings in a display case.

Three Prague  Tram paintings.

Guests.

A while ago the Private View for the Bailiffgate show was changed from last Tuesday night , when the weather was as decent as we've come to expect for summer, to Friday when the forecast was for torrential rain and flood warnings were out for just about everywhere you could think of. As a result the turnout of guests was not all we might have wished for. Even the solid gold I'll be theres I've come to count on called me up and apologised for their absence.

Luckily, the  Bailiffgate Museum is run entirely  by volunteers who do a sterling  job and many of them turned up to help dispel any feeling of abandonment. The chairman made a splendid speech and overall we had a good time.


In keeping with the zeitgeist, my camera batteries failed on me and I had to keep taking them out and turning them round just to take these four photographs.

Thirty Paintings

I spent three and a half hours on Sunday with Pat and Tony Montague setting up the Harry Bell & Tony Montague show at Bailiffgate in Alnwick. It looks good, if I say so myself, and with thirty of my paintings on display (Tony has twenty-nine), it's easily the biggest show I've ever put on.

The exhibition has started, but if you'd like to come to the Private View, it's on Friday at 6.30pm. I'll be there and happy to talk to you.