It was with huge relief that I closed the studio doors after the bank holiday. It was an exhausting push to get things tidied up and presentable; but mostly it was gratitude for finally being able to open again… along with those important conversations with guests and customers. It’s always those chats that lead to new ideas and fresh inspirations. The final weekend was full of those discussions, around travel and experiencing the wider world. It felt as though I had journeyed tremendously far without ever leaving the garden! Thank you to everyone who took the time to come. Thanks also to those that sent messages of support. It’s just been wonderful to feel connected again.

Video Studio Tour

If you missed out on the Summer opening, I wanted to share a little video walk through studio tour with you. No voice commentary, just a wandering look around the space and the shop display. If you’re curious about the work exhibited I’m going to list/link to some of the pieces and products below.

Outside Doors

On the right as we approach the studio doors are two London original canvases ‘Borough Market’ and ‘Rain Before the Train’ along with a old Winchester study of ‘Rainclouds Over the King’ the purple skies and sold pink ground colour remains a favourite for those seeking something a bit different!To the left, two framed winter studies on paper. Another London favourite ‘St Pancras Snowfall’ and a second painting of the famous Winchester statue ‘Snowy Alfred’ this time with the king facing us.

Shop Display

As we walk inside you’ll get a glimpse of my wrapping paper designs, all the new ceramic coffee mugs and ALL my Winchester greeting cards! I was counting the other day and the wider range runs to well over a hundred designs; something I’ve never concentrated on but feels like quite an achievement now!

Studio Walls

On the main display wall we start with 3 Japan inspired cut-outs; going up ‘Fushimi Inari Taisha’, ‘Pagoda At Kiyomizudera’ and ‘Rurikoji Temple Yamaguchi City’. Then the big canvas featured at my 2019 Discovery Centre exhibition; ‘The City of Winchester’. On its other side; from the top ‘Needles Lighthouse Diorama’, ‘Edinburgh Castle Diorama’, ‘St Augustine Lighthouse’ and finally ‘The Harbour Lights Cinema

Going on to the next wall and we swing straight into the heart of my ‘St Catherine’s Hill From Hockley Viaduct’. Then up to ‘St Cross Landscape’ and ‘The Night Before Christmas Winchester’. Two more small studies; a ‘St Catherine’s Hill’ warm-up study and a ‘The Crown & Two Chairmen, Soho’ pub painting. Finally ‘The Old Vine, Winchester’, ‘Port Isaac’ and ‘Chureito Pagoda, Japan’.

New Additions

As we turn to head outside you’ll see two canvases up on the easel waiting to be painted. The lower one is next up on the commission schedule; study of Iguazu Falls on the Argentinian and Brazilian border. The upper one a South Downs study that I’m hoping will draw influences from the classic South Downs Way posters from yesteryear.

Finally, you see a pile a mugs and my heating presses. The addition of the new equipment has been a big step up for me this year… but I’ve been working hard to perfect these manufacturing techniques to fit my style of illustration. Hopefully you’ll find the new merchandise colourful and in keeping with the quality of my stationery.

Get Involved!

Well that’s the studio tour! If you have any questions or a travel adventure you are willing to share please do drop me a line using the contact form or say hello online with facebooktwitter or instagram.