I always enjoy going to the Tate in St Ives and now the new extension is open it’s even better!

I wasn’t blown away by Rebecca Warren’s sculpture, but the new space is impressive and the re-hang of the permanent collection there is great. It’s good that the Tate are including more women artists – for example Sandra Blow, whose wonderful paintings I hadn’t seen before.

Alastair Sooke describes Jasper Johns as ‘The master of arcane introspection’ and after spending the morning at the RA’s huge retrospective of John’s work I can see what he means.
I spent a lot of time moving back and forwards between artworks and the writing on the wall, but it was worth the effort. All of his iconic works are here and for me, some wonderful surprises…..

I’m very excited that Kew Gardens have chosen one of my paintings to use on their Christmas cards this year!

Another must see exhibition at Tate Modern ‘Soul of a Nation’ is full of powerful images across a wide variety of artworks, many unseen before in this country. The show tackles an epic subject and tries to include a broad range of artists and their work. I came away wanting to see much more of some of the artists work.

This morning I finally got round to visiting the new Design Museum next to Holland Park. There are two main exhibitions on at the moment and I chose to see ‘Breathing Colour’  an installation based exhibition by Hella Jongerius. There’s a lot to take in, but well worth taking time over it.

While in the area I also paid a visit to the sumptuous Leighton House Museum. Currently on show there is an exhibition of Lawrence Alma Tadema’s work. Alma Tadema was a contemporary of Frederic Leighton and this museum is the perfect setting for these paintings. The work of these two Victorian artists was very highly regarded in their time and so interesting to see even though now, in this age of conceptual art, it is seen as saccharine and unfashionable.

An enjoyable morning of huge contrast!

Artists studios in Kingston will be open for two weekends:

10th & 11th June

17th & 18th June

This year I’ll be showing my work together with four other artists at the lovely Canbury Pavilion in Canbury Gardens by the river in Kingston. Hoping for sunshine!

May 2017

If like me you haven’t been lucky enough to go to the Venice Biennale this year, treat yourself to a morning at the Camden Arts Centre. The exhibition there of Geta Brãtescu’s work is inspirational.
The scope and variety of her work in the humblest materials is truly impressive, especially given the restrictions she faced living and working under Soviet occupation and the Ceausescu’s dictatorship.
At 91 years old she is still hard at work, brimming with ideas and representing Romania in Venice this year.
Ending on 18th June – not to be missed!!

I’ve always been a huge fan of Howard Hodgkin’s work and have just spent a very enjoyable morning looking at his portraits in the exhibition ‘Absent Friends’ at the NPG. It includes a few of his early figurative portraits which are interesting to see along side his later works, which set out to capture the essence of the subjects. Fabulous stuff!