Autumn has arrived

It’s mid October now, and autumn has definitely arrived in full force, with fallen leaves beginning to carpet the ground and a slight chill lingering in the air during the day. So, what have I been up to lately besides the usual working to pay the bills? Well, not much painting, that’s for sure, but I have been quietly beavering away on my Darkwood sketchbooks whenever I get the chance. In the studio, I still have three new paintings that I started earlier this year, all leaning up against the easel and quietly staring at me each time I walk in. The newest piece in my ‘This Britain’ series, number 11, is propped on the wall easel, subconsciously taunting me and daring me to pick up a paintbrush again.

Despite the lull in fresh paintings, I’ve been a little productive—I varnished the latest oil painting finished this year, though I’m still undecided on a title. This piece originally began as a sketch I made during one of my daily commutes in and out of London, so it’s been tucked away in a sketchbook for nearly twenty years. I was quite pleased with how the final painting turned out. I even toyed with the idea of adding an astronaut suit, neatly folded up on the rocks, but in the end, I chose to keep it true to the original sketch.

If you’re wondering about the theme, this painting reflects a moment when you feel truly alive—and for me, that’s the precise instant you realise everything is about to end. It captures that final moment when your toes just leave the ground— happy thought as you gaze out of a train window. :-)

Oil on Canvas - Title TBA