A Very Happy Christmas to one and all

We may not get snow in 2016 but here are a few wintry scenes to enjoy...

Christmas at Lassell Street - sold.

The Park Keepers cottage, Greenwich Park.

Snowman in Greenwich Park.

Skaters at The Old Royal Naval College.

Skaters at The Old Royal Naval College.

Skaters at The Old Royal Naval College.

Skaters at The Old Royal Naval College.

Skaters at The Old Royal Naval College.

Vanbrugh Castle, Maze Hill.

Snowy scene Greenwich Park.

The Observatory Greenwich Park.

And very best wishes for 2017!

Memory is Identity

In 1945 I returned to London from a carefree childhood as an evacuee in Devon. The resulting culture stimulated my first serious works depicting scenes from war torn Bermondsey. These were mainly pen, ink and gouache on paper. At age 13 I entered Camberwell School of Art Junior Department, here I was incredibly lucky to find myself taught by the finest painters in England; Victor Pasmore, William Coldstream, John Minton, Keigh Vaughan and later the German expressionist Martin Bloch.

My new city life both fascinated and repelled me. I responded visually to its ugliness and also to its energy. Gangs of children ran wild over the devastated streets and on the shores of the Thames we played amongst the barges, filling my memory with rich earthy scenes.

Unbeknown to me at the time John Minton was also drawing along the Rotherhithe shores. It was his particular circle of Susan Einzig and Keith Vaughan that I found the most stimulating, for the neo-romantics were at that time creating their finest works. It followed from there that my paintings reflected the concerns of the English School of William Blake, Samuel Palmer and Turner, not in an obvious way, but in the spirit within their works.

As a holiday from the city I have enjoyed painting many scenes in Kent and around Britain which I feel enables me to help keep a healthy balance.

Now in my 84th year I look forward to starting a new painting of Waterloo Bridge and later returning to nearby Bankside to rediscover my old favourite subjects. Details of an exhibition in May of rarely seen works to follow.....
 

The Globe Theatre Mural

On a recent visit to the Southbank I was reminded of the time during the 1980's when I was teaching at Camberwell Art School and received an exciting call. An enthusiastic American voice came down the lines talking with great animation about a project to recreate The Globe Theatre. The voice belonged  Sam Wanamaker, then in the early stages of full filling his dream to recreate Shakespeare's theatre. Sam wanted a bright and colourful mural painting on the site boundary fence to attract peoples attention to what was about to occur on a then empty building site. Myself and a group of students set off and painted bars of strong colour in an abstract style along the boarding. The mural could be seen from far away and Sam was very appreciative of the end result. Unfortunately I never took a photo, if anyone has one I would love to see it again!

Timeshift 26th October, Sailors Ships and Stevedores: The Story of British Docks.

Greatly looking forward to watching this program on the docks, for which I was interviewed. The program starts at 9pm on BBC4, more info here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b080dvyc .

From my catalogue / poster draw!

While recently reviewing my catalogue / poster draw I came across some covers that I thought gave a good idea of my progress through 7 decades...

 From 1978 Castles and Other Romantic Landscapes. Woodlands Art Gallery. London.

 Private view cover for this exhibition below.

Image; Still Waters at Scotney 1977.

1989 Paradise Found. Sweet Waters Gallery. London

Image; Tam O'Shanter 1954

Introduction for Paradise Found by Susan Einzig. 

Image Gog and Magog.

Forward by Francis Hoyland. Image Night Watchman.

Images; Barn in Nova Scotia and St Davids Wales - from the Cathedral Grounds.

Images; Tewksbury Abbey and A Bank Near Helford Passage.

Images; Morin Heights, Quebec Province. The Artists Garden (no.1). House of the Grey-Friars,  Canterbury. Court-House, Bishopsbourne. Towards Austria. 

Images; Mountain Bathed in Mist. The Lizard Peninsular, Cornwall. 

Afterword by D. Gauranga, Sweet Waters Gallery. Image; Canal Scene in Deptford.

Back cover image; Butlers Wharf, Shad Thames.

1992 Autumn Exhibition. Thompson's Gallery. London

Image; School Steps, Dartmouth.

1995 A Thames Elegy. Cafe Gallery, Southwark Park. London.

Image; Busy Scene at Pipers Boatyard.

2000 Painting the River Thames. Age Exchange Reminiscence Centre. London.

Image; Hungerford Bridge.

2003 Homage To The Working Thames. Guildhall. London.

Image; Timber Going Overside, Surrey Docks.

2008 Living By The River. Duncan Campbell Fine Art. London.

Image; The Royal Yacht Britannia's Last Voyage to London, Farewell from Greenwich Pier (2002).

2009 A Christmas Exhibition with Cristiana Angelini. Paul McPhereson Gallery. London.

Image; New Moon, New City.

2011 The Thames, our sleeping giant. Old Royal Naval College. London

Image; King George V Dock.

2014 London City of Music and Other Delights. Blackheath Halls. London.

Image; Nocturne in E Chopin.

2015 It All Began With Drawing. West Greenwich Library. London.

Image; mock cave drawing.

I hope you have enjoyed this tour through the years. Some years ago I was honoured to be asked to become president of The Blackheath Art Society, where I currently contribute to our regular exhibitions full of exciting talent. The next exhibition is 15th October - 18th December 2016. Held at Discover Greenwich Upstairs Gallery, Old Royal Naval College, Cutty Sark Gardens SE10 9NN. For more information contact The Blackheath Art Society. Hope you can make it!

Docker reading

In the recesses of my studio I am unearthing some very large paintings. This one approx, 41" x 51", was made in the 1950s and based on my grandfather Jack Driscoll, set in a London sunset.

 

Image; Docker Reading, £1500.

Tromp L'oeil Update...

Just added some new paintings to the Tromp L'oeil section of the blog, some examples of which are below...

The Lost Chord.

Moments with Mozart.

Do it Yourself.

Nature and Landscapes Update

Have just updated this section of the blog with new additions, here are a few;

Shoreham

Elham Valley.

Orchard at Bere Ferrer, Cornwall.

Old Moorings near Wivenhoe.

Blackheath Art Society Autumn Exhibition 2016

Blackheath Art Society Autumn Exhibition 15th October - 18th December. Held at Discover Greenwich Upstairs Gallery, Old Royal Naval College, Cutty Sark Gardens SE10 9NN. For more information contact The Blackheath Art Society. We look forward to seeing you there!

Good Morning Waterloo.

Blackheath Art Society Summer Exhibition

Our summer exhibition with it's exciting and varied mix of artists and styles is about to start. Please come and visit us at the prestigious Blackheath Halls 2 - 29th June. For more information please visit; Blackheath Halls.

We look forward to seeing you there.

More new sections!

I have always believed that an artist should have the same freedom as a writer, able to write detective stories on the one hand and romantic novels on the other. I hope you enjoy viewing the new sections, quite different from my Thames paintings. Many of the paintings are in the process of being catalogued, some are for sale and some have sold but please do enquire if you see something that you like!

Tromp L'oeil.

 City Life.

Nature and Landscapes.

Go East Young Man!

My blog is a work in progress! I have so many paintings to include and sections to add, in addition to my Thames paintings. Finally today I have added to the 'East Greenwich and Surround' page, put on a new 'Music' section and updated my Press and Media listings.

From the 2014 exhibition 'London City of Music and Other Delights'.

Postcards available from The Old Royal Naval College shop

The following postcards are available from The Old Royal Naval College shop...

Business as Usual, Nevada Street.

Greenwich Peninsula.

Red Tug Passing St Pauls.

St Pauls from Bankside.

Tower Bridge from Cherry Garden Pier.