
Us together. portrait of hubby 2017, me self portrait 2020. The small portrait is also him a few years ago. Acrylic on canvas. I always intended them to hang together, just decided it was time.
New paintings and regular art updates.

Us together. portrait of hubby 2017, me self portrait 2020. The small portrait is also him a few years ago. Acrylic on canvas. I always intended them to hang together, just decided it was time.

Top painting by Theodore Gericault of a French peasant woman. I used it to base my picture on. The bottom painting is my portrait of Molly Leigh. I know mine is a bit rough round the edges, but I wanted her to look wise with a glint in her eye. I hope now I’m getting my sight sorted out things will improve. I will try and keep posting here but I may have to be careful how much I do.

My portrait of Molly Leigh the Burslem Witch. Painted after my mural of her at the Leopard Hotel in Burslem burnt down a couple of years ago. Acrylic on canvas.
It was used as a prop in the Who is Molly Leigh? opera that was on last week. I was so proud and excited to be able to display it in public. I like creating narrative pieces of art as well as portrait so of people which I would say is my speciality. I’d like to poss create further portraits of Stoke-on-Trent famous people… Just a thought.

Two large blackbirds in a nest, one seeps, the other flutters. They have collected everything from apple cores to brass bells, keys to brooches. Theyay be Molly Leighs familiar. In one of the scenes of the Opera “Who is Molly Leigh”
Great props by makers at the BArts art company.

Tonight was the first performance of the opera, Who is Molly Leigh?
I enjoyed singing in the choir and got to watch a couple of scenes. We sing in the final scene and question who Molly Leigh was? Was she real, was she a myth? It’s amazing how it’s all come together. I’m pleased to say the audience enjoyed it.
I’m absolutely shattered now! I went to the fish and chip shop to get tea because I’m to tired to microwave something, but it’s going cold in the kitchen because I sat down and I’m too achy to get back up! Might have a nap.

Someone asked me how to paint wood panels today so I got some cardboard and some acrylic paint and did this. It’s meant to look like oak, which I painted grey brown and added shading and highlights and a sort of wood grain effect… It’s quite deep looking due to the shadows.

Quick painting of one of the project owners dogs. I painted for a few hours but came home shattered. I explained that I was really tired but I’m not sure they understood. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. You can’t always see disabilities. And people mask how they are feeling to try and feel as normal as possible.

Scenery painting for a cottage scene. They wanted some old style pictures you might find on a cottage wall. So I decided to try and do a quick (1 hour) painting of the haywain. It jiggered me up! And the image I copied from wouldn’t expand so it was the size of a postage stamp! Lots of sketchy work on this but it looks OK at a distance. Acrylic on board.

It looks like its been baked in a bread loaf tin. This is a copy of one of those paintings that they did in olden times to emphasise how much wool the sheep could grow I think. There are definite exaggerations in its size. And a small head and legs. It was fun to try and paint. As it is for a set in an opera it didn’t need to be totally accurate. Took about an hour to paint.

How do you know it’s creepy? It’s written on it…
Mystery Play set. In the past I would paint 2 or 3 8x8ft panels for the Mystery Plays. The last time was 5 years ago just before Covid struck. Then a year ago I was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. Now it’s taken me all my time to do this and a cottage scene on the back of it. Luckily we have old bits of scenery to fill the gaps. I wish I could do more….
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