A freezing fortnight is not great for an artist. Pigments can dry up in tubes and bottles. Paintings can crack if not kept in a constantly warm space. My studio is not in the house so there will be some paintings coming indoors for a while.

Been a bit quiet on here since the last painting of a cyclist as have been working hard with my other hat on (digital habit coach) and the snow made the studio space too cold even with fingerless gloves and a heater. Have been out with the camera a bit more, both capturing elements of the freeze last week, local tyre and alignment specialist Skidmarques Ltd grand opening of their new larger premises which attracted an amazing array of motor-mad people with classics, performance, racing and prestige cars all represented and yesterday the first on-track event that I’ve got to this year.

Still managed to get to the Hockney exhibition for a first look, and look forward to going back again if I can get more tickets. Really inspiring colours which show a lot of emotions. The room of his paintings done whilst visiting a dying friend being particularly emotive and incredible to think mainly done from memory. Some great perspectives in their too. The watercolours are a real revelation too knowing that the technique is so different and immediate compared to the graphical oils.

Also doing some drafts for a rather large mural commission at a local business which is both exciting and daunting all in one! The space looked huge as a blank canvas, but having seen the large panels done by Hockney I have a better sense of perspective for that. The mural will be all about two and four wheels. It’s going to be more than a freezing fortnight as the space is an open industrial unit. Up on scaffolding or in a cherry picker it will need thermals and finger-less gloves to be painting it now.

Up-date a little bit more about the mural commission here.