This is a recently finished painting , completed as a commission . It depicts the Glasgow University Medical department building in Glasgow’s West End , on one of my favourite named streets in the city . ‘Last leaves of Autumn on Horselethill’
Last leaves of Autumn on Horselethill
My amalgamation of the Venus at her mirror and Narcissus myths . My largest ( so far ) mezzotint
Not quite Narcissus- Jasmine in Govan
This is one of four paintings I’ve recently finished of the same close in Dennistoun in Glasgow’s East End . It’s part of a commission . When I was initially approached to do it I was a little unsure as I know the area fairly well and , well , to be diplomatic , I wasn’t convinced there’d be a palace awaiting me . It isn’t a palace , but it is a lovely close with a very unusual layout and shape which inspired me to produce several paintings and I daresay there’ll be a few more in the future . I’ve called it ‘Red Stairs in Dennistoun ‘
The red stairs , Dennistoun
This is a watercolour I’ve just finished . While going through my usual desperate attempts to come up with a decent title for it I was delighted to discover that it’s of a street called ‘Horselethill Road ‘ I’ve lived in Glasgow for over 31 years , about 10 of those in the West-End not too far from the subject matter of this painting but I don’t think I’ve been aware of the name before . I’m sure there are lots of other quirky street names around but it’s always a delight to find a new one to me . Apologies to anyone who lives on Horselethill Road for my ignorance . I believe the main building depicted here belongs to Glasgow University . Anyhow , it’s called ‘Autumn colours on Horselethill Road ‘
Autumn Colours on Horselethill Road
A watercolour of the splendid Kelvingrove bowling green and tennis courts as seen from the junction of Sauchiehall Street and Kelvinway , with the illustrious Park Circus hovering in the background .
Dusk Falling on Kelvingrove Bowling Green
The two rotunda buildings lie on the North and South banks of the river Clyde in Glasgow . They were build as the end points of the tunnel under the river , now long since blocked . This one , in the South , is now a swanky office space .
Dusk Reflections at the Southern Rotunda
Sometimes it rains in Glasgow . This is a fairly typical scene at the city’s most well known park .
Rain at Kelvingrove Gates
This is one of the largest ‘pure’ mezzotints ( as opposed to mixed etching and mezzotint ) I’ve done . It depicts a regular model of mine , Jordan . I toyed with the idea of giving it a title punning on her name , but went in the end with the simple ‘In Stripes ‘ as what I intended to do in the work was define the body with stripes .
‘In Stripes’
It seems that every small , financially struggling , town has one plucky shop , surviving despite the odds . As high streets throughout the UK succumb to the might of supermarkets , betting shops and charity outlets there’s usually one specialist store that seems ever present and standing firm . In my experience these are often some sort of ironmongers or clothes retailers , businesses that , I suppose depend on personal customer service and specialist knowledge absent from the big superstores .
Whenever I return to my home town of Milford Haven in West Wales a walk down the once bustling Charles street is a depressing experience of boarded up shop-fronts , gap sites and all-too briefly opened and then closed , initially optimistic , but ultimately doomed , new ventures . As long as I can remember though , half way down , there’s been one constant , shining and persistent light . Granby’s is a ‘gentleman’s outfitters ‘ and clothes shop which seems to have barely changed in the 40 odd years I’ve known it , slightly scruffy , in need of a lick of paint , but always strangely welcoming . Every time I re-visit Pembrokeshire I half-expect closed doors or ‘closing down sale ‘ signs in the window , but so far Granby’s is still there struggling resolutely on .
I don’t paint Milford Haven very often , but this is a painting I’ve had in mind for a while . A tribute to all those High Street heroes defying the competition of the out-of-town retail sites and superstores . It’s an acrylic .
‘Heroes of the High Street – Granby’s still open ‘
Heroes of the High Street – Granby’s still open
‘Yn yr Hen Goleg , Aberystwyth ‘ ( in the old college , Aberystwyth ) . I spent a lovely few days staying in Aberystwyth on the West Wales coast earlier in the Summer and was particularly inspired by the , almost monastic feeling , steps in the gorgeous old college building on the sea front . I don’t only paint Scottish stairs .
Yn yr Hen Goleg Aberystwyth