Somerset Art Works

Open Studio

19th Sep - 4th Oct 2020

At the beginning of the year, a pandemic was starting to be mentioned on the news. A frightening prospect in a world already burdened with environmental damage, poverty, inequality and all the mental health issues that follow from these issues. Suddenly, we are in a lockdown and the supermarket shelves are swept clean. A panicky feeling brought about by the realization of our fragile existence and our reliance on the global markets.

I started to put a lot more energy into growing vegetables on the community garden that I’m lucky to have nearby, which also proved to be a wonderful place to gather with neighbours. The village was unnaturally silent (or should that be naturally silent?) for the first time in my memory. The skies were clear. Birdsong seemed so loud and insistent. The weather was merciful and beautiful.

At a time like this, priorities change and you question what you are doing with your life. My main occupation, painting the landscape, can be seen as trivial, irrelevant and inconsequential. In all honesty I don’t know how to do anything else and so I forge on, being so moved by the land we live on that I cannot help but endeavour to portray it, in all its moods and variety.

In my paintings, I want to capture that which is valuable and which must be cherished and preserved, for the good of people and the natural world. Lockdown highlighted the importance of nature to us and how crucial the places are where we find beauty and solace.

I have had a spring and summer of travelling around my own patch of Somerset but also making journeys to Devon to care for my mother.  I could never tire of the beauty found in my beloved West country.

This year's open studio event will be held at my home at the address below:

5 Pilton Road

North Wootton

Shepton Mallet

Somerset

BA4 4ET

Appointments can be made using the phone and email details at the bottom of the page, or feel free to drop by between 11 and 6. Please wear a face mask if you are able to; there will be hand sanitizer available and a visitor book to keep track of who has been.

Please see below the paintings I am exhibiting this year. These are also available to purchase via my online shop. It may take a while for the availability to update on this page so please be aware that only the paintings showing as available in the shop are still for sale. 

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