Do you jump into the abyss?
I am exploring this in a new piece of work.

This piece is to form the end part of a triology.
Lost - Forgotten - The Drop.

Just received some good news for View Subterranea 1: it has won the Derwent Prize at the Patchings Festival 2013.

www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk/festivalexhibition/onlinegallery/exhibition2013/painting.php?cat=ta&pic=32"" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>http://" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk/festivalexhibition/onlinegallery/exhibition2013/painting.php?cat=ta&pic=32" target="_blank">More details here.

Some pictures from the RA Summer Exhibition Varnishing Day, the traditional day for artists to get a first look at the show. It was another beautiful sunny day, just like last year, for the procession from the Royal Academy court yard to St James's Church, Piccadilly for the Service for Artists, which was led by Revd Lucy Winkett. This is the traditional opening to the show.

Then it was back to the RA and the champagne reception! It is always exciting to locate your work among all the wonderful art on the walls.

A lovely day enjoyed with SB.

I was thrilled to discover on Saturday that both wood engravings I submitted to the RA Summer Exhibition have been selected.

Both pieces, View Subterranea 1 and Contemplation, reflect my love and fascination with the subterranean world of the London Underground and I have tried to capture some element of existence, which is enhanced by being underground.

To me the structure and form of the system makes it a magical place and concentrates the mind and feelings of all those who use and travel in it. In both pieces I am trying to convey multiple perceptual viewpoints.

In this 245th year of the Summer Exhibition, and the 150th anniversary of the Tube, I am proud to be part of this celebratory year. I hope you manage to make it to the show.

For more details see my events page, the www.royalacademy.org.uk"" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>http://" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>www.royalacademy.org.uk" target="_blank">Royal Academy and the www.ltmuseum.co.uk"" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>http://" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>www.ltmuseum.co.uk" target="_blank">London Transport Museum.

Waltham Forest Guardian promotes 'the wild side of urban common land' - exhibition at The Mill, which features 'Swallowtail of the Marshes' - a ghostly reminder of a beautiful butterfly long gone from this urban habitat.

www.guardian-series.co.uk/leisure/highlights/10399304.The_wild_side_of_urban_common_land/"" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>http://" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>www.guardian-series.co.uk/leisure/highlights/10399304.The_wild_side_of_urban_common_land/" target="_blank">www.guardian-series.co.uk/leisure/highlights/10399304.The_wild_side_of_urban_common_land/

Just some beautiful pictures I wanted to share from this Easter weekend.

Kew is lovely in all seasons but this time of year, springtime, is probably the loveliest. I tried to capture the daffodils cascading down the hillside.

What a sunset followed!

In Epping Forest, beech buds were just beginning to burst into life. I think in the next couple of weeks the colour of the forest will look very different. The sound of the birds was lovely, and the little robins and wrens were just all over the place, hopping in and out of bushes and across our path.

Coming to Epping always brings to mind John Clare.

The forest meets the blessing of the spring,
The chestnut throws her sticky buds away
And shows her peasant leaves and snow white flowers,
The nightingale is loud and often heard
The notes of every song, and hardly known
She hides and sings, a stranger all the day.

Foxgloves, bluebells and hellebores all to come.

I love this time of year.

I attended the artists’ reception yesterday evening at The Gallery in Cork Street, London, and I was thrilled to discover that I had won the www.corkstreetopenexhibition.com/prizes.asp"" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>http://" target="_blank"style='word-wrap: break-word; -ms-word-break: break-all; word-break: break-all; -webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;'>www.corkstreetopenexhibition.com/prizes.asp" target="_blank">Printmaker Prize for View Subterranea 1.

As the title suggests, this is the first in a series of pieces exploring the beauty of London’s Underground.

Just a few pictures of the best bonfire night I have ever been to.

It's an amazing tradition that takes place every Guy Fawkes night. Parades alight with fire take routes through the town of Lewes organised by bonfire societies. This culminates in massive bonfires and fireworks displays which light up the sky all night.

Oh and you are woken up in the morning at 6 by the sound of canon fire which was one of the scariest things I have ever heard. It was just so loud!