……..finally finished, from 3 Plein Air sessions, started on 11th August, (* see link below) and will be on display this coming saturday, see Upcoming Events page for details.
Otto’s, SharrowVale Road
this painting started here :
https://neowatercolour.com/2012/08/12/the-lesser-spotted-artist/
Fifi the French Bulldog
……..”Fifi”…..will be with me tomorrow, along with some of my other watercolours, outside Gilberts (next door to the Lescar) on SharrowVale Road, 11 am – 2pm (*)……where I will also be attempting a Plein Air streetscene watercolour……
* unless I faint in this heat or we have thunderstorms, or I just chicken out (“again !!” says Fifi) 🙂
SharrowVale Barbers & Fifi
……that I saw this morning (*), prompted me to finish this painting I started in 2010 (a precursor to the “Two Pugs” – one of my personal all-time favourites)……
……the one in this painting, (shall we call her Fifi ?) looks slightly annoyed :-)……this painting also started in my earlier “red” and “detailed drainpipes” phase !
…….will Fifi venture to the Farmers Market tomorrow ? Only if it stops raining, she says……
Fifi the French Bulldog
(* For a year or so now, I have been hearing rumours of a phantom French Bulldog living on the next road to me – this morning I finally saw it – I was driving at the time so only caught a glimpse, but it is definitely cute ! )
Gilbert & Sons, Cowlishaw Works, SharrowVale Road, Sheffield
……..is where I hope to be this sunday,15th July……in front of Gilbert & Sons, at the Farmers Market, SharrowVale……
…….. a big Thankyou to Paula, John and Barry of Gilbert & Sons, who have been so kind and helpful……
……..this painting, hot off the easel, will be on display – featuring not only a metal Rhino but a Giraffe too, Gecko’s, Cats with Plant Pots, and many other curiosities (and Charlie the Bulldog walking by)…………more about Gilbert & Sons, (established in 1968,when I was just a wee tot !!)…..here……….. www.gilbertandsons.co.uk
Gecko on the Wall at Gilbert & Sons
Pepe & Marion
……called Pepe, and his owner Marion, from Cambridge, sat with me outside the Cherry Tree cafe yesterday…….
……only 1 year old, Pepe is exceedingly well-behaved, and modelled just like a professional. The huge Waitrose bag is crammed full of Pepes’ “kit” (water bottle, food, kitchen sink, etc, etc). A real character 🙂
Pepe the Fox Terrier
Crookes Hardware, Sheffield
……Crookes Hardware (an Emporium of Everything you could possibly need, from brushes, glue, screws, compost, tools and yes, in case you’re wondering, they also do Key Cutting)……
……drop by and say Hello to Richard, Robert….and “Mouse” the dog (seen here in the window,watching the dog “with attitude” walking past)……or their web-site here : www.crookeshardware.co.uk
……166 Crookes High Street, Sheffield
“Giraffe”
………a Bouncy Castle one…….seen from inside the cafe, Endcliffe Park, this morning (photo below). Great nose !
“Giraffe” Bouncy Castle
is the final size of the epic, “Nether Edge 360″ (framed 36″ x 13”). My favourite part is “Sandy” the Greyhound, bottom right corner.
Winsor & Newton on Saunders 300 gsm.
…..people often ask me. Well, in the case of Nether Edge 360…..
….. when a Greyhound walked past ! Almost complete, the painting just needed a little “something special”, when …..
Greyhound, Sheldon Road, Nether Edge
…..at the cross-roads this morning, waiting for the traffic lights to change, in the very spot where there is the final space in the painting…….
…..incredibly, a Sand-coloured Greyhound suddenly trotted across the crossing, in front of my very eyes !
…..Astonished ?? was I !!…..
…..So, here he/she is now, in the completed Nether Edge 360 * (the Greyhound is painted from memory, I didn’t have time to sketch it as the lights were about to change) …..
………..and yes, it did have a white snazzy collar, and a curly tail 🙂 (and is possibly a bit more “orange” than in real life)
(btw, it was on a lead, but I didn’t have time to absorb the owner as well)
* the “final” version of the painting, all 30 inches of it, will appear here tomorrow
“French & Grace”, Brixton
………Cafe, called “French & Grace”, spotted in the Times Magazine last saturday. The menu looks very tempting, but being 150 miles away in London, I’ll have to make do with sketching it instead ! (from the photo by Laura Edwards, The Times Magazine).
photo by Laura Edwards,The Times Magazine
……..this tiny cafe started as a “supper club” run from Grace’s Brixton flat, and their blog “Salad Club” has won the Observer’s Monthly Food Award (Best Food Blog).
……..the market, behind Brixton Tube Station, sounds brilliant, stretching through streets and arcades, with a real Bohemian atmosphere.
see the Salad Club blog, here : www.saladclub.wordpress.com
Nether Edge 360 – in progress
………at Nether Edge, a “360 Degree” street-scape.
An early morning scene – no traffic (and no traffic lights, etc, either).
Painting in progress……
The Big Tree (& Pug)
……..and other signage overload. Sketch at Tesco today ( yes, the checkout operator did have pink hair)
Improvised materials – red biro/black roller ball on NHS Prescription paper (all I had on me !). Paint added later – Winsor & Newton Watercolour and Gouache.
………soothing ! Here’s Danny Gregorys(*) latest 4 minute “Spring” Sketchbook Film – worth watching right to the very end. Brilliant.
click on link :
http://dannygregory.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/spring-a-new-sketchbook-film-about-well-me/
* Author of masterpieces including – Everyday Matters, An Illustrated Life and The Creative License…….
“Red Mist” – the Greyhound
…………the latest Patricia Cornwell book is superb. Not only more pacily written (IMHO) than the last few, but Brilliantly, features Retired Greyhounds !!
…………being a slow reader, I’m still on page 42, but the idea of prison inmates “rescuing”, looking after and training retired greyhounds is a real gem (its in America, obviously, and in rural penitentiaries).
…………the more people help Retired Greyhounds, the better ! and I dedicate my “Red Mist” Greyhound watercolour to Patricia 🙂
Dog In Suit, Chatsworth
…….For Your Dog !!……and in an Outstanding Colour, just to show off 🙂
…….. and yes, this is real………..look :
Black Pug & Black Mini
…..this is part of a painting I have been wrestling with for a while, and why I deviated suddenly to sketch “Usyaka”, for some light relief !
The response to “Usyaka” has been so over-whelming, kind and uplifting, that I’m sure I will sketch her again. Thankyou Everyone 🙂
The “Tree” outside the Big Tree pub had its crown torn off by Hurricane Katia (ref. the Mini’s reg.plate). The painting is ne..ee..aaa…rly finished.
Lionheart at Chatsworth
………..at Chatsworth…………3 Giant Crocheted Lions by Shauna Richardson, in a huge 16 metre glass case in front of the Bastion Wall………….
….. 2 Years in the making, and the largest single-handed “Crochetdermy” sculpture In The World !! ………….
…….part of the Cultural Olympiad, its at Chatsworth until 10 June (no ticket necessary, Car Park £3). See more Shauna here :
Cal the Whippet
………..spotted on monday outside Cafe Marco, Ecclesall Road – I haven’t seen Cal for ages, so was glad to see him (albeit not wearing his racing coat). This is a re-blog of part of a painting from last year, as I was very pleased with my rendition of Cal and its worth another look ! 🙂
……….to my little red Fiat 500, who now has a new owner, I have to (reluctantly !) change my “Fiat Mephistopheles” Blog Header, to my “Weston Park 360° (Big Ron, Holly, & Mabel to the Rescue !)” watercolour, which is to to be auctioned by the British Red Cross in June.
Full details to follow regarding the Red Cross Exhibition & Auction.
Neo Watercolour by Victoria Butterell 
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