Yesterday snow finally arrived at Castelnau de Montmiral, ankle deep by mid day. 

A new painting of HMS Pickle is in preparation.

Approaching England HMS Pickle off Mounts Bay on course for Falmouth is in the later phase of sketch and research.   (more…)

The Pyrenees or at least some of them at sunset or if you prefer, at dusk, what shall we call this painting?

This original idea came with a commission from a couple who live a few kilometers from my French studio, why?  (more…)

Following a busy day with Michael Baker loooong time friend and my web master, working on the web site and ‘The Grand Plan‘, the latter being a plan for the way ahead post the exhibition at the European Parliament last May, Michael and we took a drive out into the forests to see a client.

En route we passed bastide strong hold of Puycelci.

My client has asked for a looooong picture, 2940 x 68 cms, to fit over their fire place. (more…)

Ok so I am a bit tired, still got a sense of humour though, borrowed from a friend. Just got in after a brisk walk my first for two days. needed, I got up at 04:30, not the same as starting work but have painted for 7 hrs non stop. Glorious day here, like Cornwall in mid summer, warm not hot sun, cool not cold breeze.

Remind me to to have ‘once in a life time‘ exhibitions to often please… next, cook supper. (more…)

By a huge coincidence, an extraordinary chance meeting, the ships of Laperouse encounter the First Fleet, some under weigh, others still at anchor as they prepare to move to Port Jackson to start in earnest a colony at Sydney Cove.

Working from original fine quality drawings made by of their ships by the French officers, their journals and the journals of the British we have here a representation of the French ships quite unlike the work of any other marine artist. (more…)

On the subject of photographing paintings I also finished “New and Old” this week (mentioned on this blog, with sketch 24th Feb) and have the new “Trafalgar Dawn, the French Perspective” 99% finished so you may expect to see them both appear on this blog in the next week. (more…)

Following a recent order for a large copy of the picture HMS Pickle carrying the news of Trafalgar including a remarque I wrote the following to describe the remaque and reveal a little known but interesting piece of history.

http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html

The picture in question is “I have urgent dispatches“.

(more…)

The story of ‘New and Old‘ so far is:
I was yesterday told by Sam Llewellyn editor of Marine Quarterly the picture MUST be ready for his cover page  by the end of the first week of March, 18th ‘Absolute bonecracking‘ latest it was emphasised.
I don’t do ‘Absolute bonecracking’ to much like stress.
Cool calm collected… (more…)