Another stack of books. Otherlands by Thomas Halliday, The Edge of the Plain by James Crawford, Worn by Sofi Thanhauser, Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard.

Watercolour on 140 gsm cartridge paper, 2024, 21.5 x 31 cm.

I’m having fun painting books at the moment. This was my first one – Connemara, Listening in the wind, Tim Robinson. Jean Atkin, High Nowhere. Poetry Review (Winter 2020). The Dingle Peninsula, Steve MacDonogh. Cats in May, Doreen Tovey. Lara, Bernadine Evarista. Scots Gaelic, George McLennan.
watercolour on 140 gsm cartridge paper, 2024, 21.5 x 31 cm.

Growing pelargonium cuttings on the kitchen windowsill. I love the quiet nondescriptness of this subject.

Watercolour and pencil on 300 gsm hot press paper, 2024, 20 x 20 cm.

Watercolour on 300gsm hot press paper, 2024, 10” x 8″.

There is a surprising untidiness in the Highlands. A trailer type caravan full of ?unwanted? things. But with the roads being so narrow and winding, perhaps removing something like this is a logistical nightmare, and it has its use as a storeroom.

Watercolour on 300gsm hot press paper, 2024, 10″ x 8″.

In February I went to Shieldaig, near Torridon and Applecross in Wester Ross, on the north west coast of Scotland, for a short holiday with my daughter. We stayed in a converted croft near the fishing pier on Shieldaig Loch, which had no garden as such but was surrounded by steep grazing land, trees and hills on two sides. Views from the windows were like this.

Windowsill portrait. Pots left to right –
Doug Fitch – Nic Collins – antique glass – Nic Collins – me – Georgian glass jug – Stephen Parry.

Watercolour and pencil on 300 gsm hot press paper. 2024. 8” x 8” or 20 x 20 cm.

A different room and window – in the bow window I keep indoor plants, and ceramics. Here is a pot of snowdrops from Cambo Gardens, and a large wood-fired ash glazed jar by Nic Collins.

Watercolour and pencil on 300 gsm hot press paper. 2024. 8” x 8” or 20 x 20 cm

Watercolour and pencil on 300 gsm hot press paper. 2024, 16” x 12”.

Iris reticulata pretending to be candles in the french window, a white dog instead of snow, and all the irises out now, with their wonderful sweet scent. finished just as the light was going

painted from life, January 2024,
Watercolour on hot press 300 gsm paper, 16 x 12”