Farmstay visits!

We had a party of 53 here yesterday from Farm Stay UK. They were holding their AGM at nearby Life Hill Farm B&B in Sledmere and decided to break up their day with a visit to the gallery. Farm Stay UK is a farmer owned consortium that has come together to promote accommodation in or on farms. They really seemed to enjoy the exhibition. We were certainly busy pouring the mulled wine and re-filling plates with mince pies. It feels very Christmassy at the gallery now!

Special Visitors to the Exhibition

Some bullfinches have begun to devour the honeysuckle berries outside my studio window. Isn't this one stunning?

If you missed my live interview with Helen Philpot for BBC Radio Humberside on Saturday morning, click here to hear it.

Badger Delight

Badgers have captivated me since I was 14 and from the comments from my exhibition so far it seems that people are fond of the old brock too. It has been a busy first weekend at my exhibition with about 300 people coming through the doors - which is great and the response to my new series of paintings has been very positive. To read about how I got hooked on badgers click here.

Putting down the paintbrushes

I've only just finished my last painting of a blue tit and can put my paintbrushes down at last - just in time for my Christmas exhibition which opens tomorrow - talk about working up to the deadline phew!
But my works not over yet I've got a radio interview with BBC Radio Humberside at 9.30am which is going to be live gulp! Listen out for me...

Sneak Preview of Exhibition

My Christmas Exhibition opens on Saturday and these are the new original paintings that will be hanging on the gallery walls. If you would like any more information on any of them please click here. Why not comment below to tell me which is your favourite?

Tufty the Badger Painted in Oils

Fox on the Lookout Painted in Oils


Otter Portrait in Oils

Tufty the Badger in Oils

Long-tailed Tits on Blackthorn in Oils

Robin on Post in Oils

'Work in Progress' Blue Tit on Cherry Blossom in Oils

Stripey, Hoover and Dyson in Acrylic & Pencil

Gappy and Stripy in Acrylic and Pencil

Cropton Badger in Acrylic and Pencil

Tufty Sketch in Acrylics and Pencil

Red Stag in the Mist Pencil Drawing

Boxing Hares Sketch in Pencil

Barn Owls at Duggleby in Oils

Curled Up in Acrylics and Pencil

Fox Cub in Oils

Love Birds in Acrylics

Swan in Oils

Swans a Swimming in Oils

Two Fawns in Pencil and Acrylic

Tender Moment in Pencil and Acrylics

Penguins on Salisbury Plain in Acrylic

King of Savute in Oils

Zebras of Nakuru in Oils

European Brown Bear in Oils

Gentoo & Chicks in Oils

Seals a pupping

I've been so busy getting ready for the Christmas Exhibition this month that I haven't had time to make it over to Donna Nook in Lincolnshire to watch the seals pupping. It's a wonderful sight. I focussed on it in my latest column in the Ryedale Gazette & Herald, click on the link to read it.

Badgers vs. the world

Well it seems like I've stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest by doing a special focus on badgers. I mean I know Damien Hirst and co are controversial but surely not a wildlife artist!!! I have had a few press articles about the exhibition featuring the badgers and I've had all sorts of comments - including one anonymous sender that sent my invitation to my exhibition back to me with the words "You can stick the TB spreading Badgers up yours" - charming I'm sure. Another person commented on the Hull Daily Mail's website that it was a good thing I've finished the paintings as the badgers are about to be culled by East Riding Council. And rightly so according to him. Thankfully I've had positive feedback too and I've sold one of the big badger oils already, so there are definitely some people that appreciate badgers too. Oh well, it's all part of the rich tapestry of life! Perhaps this could be the start of a new controversial me?