An exciting start to the year

I was invited to go to Lisbon at the end of February for an art-filled week with academics Diana Ali and Dr. Michele Whiting and several other artists. There were days sketching around Lisbon and Cascais. Visits to public museums and private galleries. Two days were spent in the Artepod studios. There was also lots of train rides, walking, eating, drinking, laughing and of course arty chat! It was a very enjoyable week with many stimulating ideas. We held a little exhibition of our work in the infinity studio. When I returned to my studio at Dean Clough I started to try and replicate and improve what I had drawn on paper with paint on canvas. I got so far and then realised the work wasn't 'me'. The drawings were derived from an urban environment and my interest was more the organic and nature. The painting turned into something very very different. I haven't come up with a title yet so I haven't included it on the website, I feel it needs something poetic. It just goes to show how sometimes a change of context can reinforce an intention that was already there.