Merry Christmas!

Christmas is almost upon us! Yesterday was the first day of winter, and as the year draws to a close it's time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future.

2016, despite global shenannigans, turned out to be a good one personally. I displayed work at several shows including a month as 'artist in residence' at the Baldock Arts Centre for Open Studios. I had a crack at Sky Arts 'Landscape Artist of the Year' and ended up with a brief moment on TV with Joan Bakewell. Also I began to teach, both in workshops and as a tutor at The Settlement in Letchworth.

Last week I visited Tate Britain to see the Paul Nash exhibition (opposite is the upside down Christmas tree in their foyer). There was some wonderful stuff on display - he began as a figurative landscape painter, moved into abstraction, through painting the chaos of WW1, then onto Surrealism and finally onto a mixture of all three with full on colour - almost in the manner of Van Gogh.

It reminded me that an artist is never static. Influences and interests buffet your work, changing and pushing it in different directions. So there is one of my resolutions for 2017! Absorb other artists and their work, use new materials, loosen up and try something different!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

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