 I've spent much of the winter (when not working on paintings for my exhibition about stories from the Dales) making nine new screen prints of Cambridge. I've had a long association with the wonderful gallery on Trinity Street - Cambridge Contemporary Art - which began with them selling my abstract paintings. Now they sell my screen prints. I was very pleased when they asked me to produce some new work for an exhibition on Cambridge. It really is a lovely city. Here a few steps through a gateway from a busy shopping street can bring you into an ancient, shadowed courtyard. A short walk down a high walled lane will lead you to a medieval bridge over the shallow River Cam. I decided from the outset that I wanted a mixture of images. In some I wanted to celebrate Cambridge's varied roofscape. In others, to focus on the city's more contemplative spaces. And, of course, there were particular architectural gems I just had to portray. One of my favourites is the court at Queen's College which has the most beautifully proportioned half-timbered building. While I was working on this piece I came across a photograph of a play being performed in the court showing one of Stephen Fry's first performances (he was a student at Queen's). Evening, King's College A few days ago I drove down with the pictures to Cambridge along with my daughter, Rosie Scott-Massie, who also is showing new work in the same exhibition and fellow artist, Josie Beszant. Despite a biting East wind we had a very enjoyable time in the city and, as always, discovered a couple of interesting bits we hadn't come across before.  The Round Church, Cambridge Rosie Scott-Massie So the prints are all finished and the exhibition is open from 6/4/13 to 28/4/13. Information and opening times can be found on Cambridge Contemporary Art's website. To see the new prints please CLICK HERE.
If Cambridge is a long way to go do call into the Masham Gallery where a large selection of my paintings and prints is always available.
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 I'm teaching, in May, at this beautiful country house between Leyburn and Bedale in North Yorkshire. Artison are running some courses there. This course fee includes an excellent lunch, a tour of the gorgeous gardens and a tour of Constable Burton Hall itself. I'm enclosing below Artison's poster for the courses. If you wish to book a course click on the image and it will take you to the Artison site. 
 This Friday, the 22nd March, at 7.30 in the evening, sees the preview of 35 - an exhibition of the work of John Degnan who is celebrating thirty five years as a professional artist. The venue is the Masham Gallery in Masham Market Place, North Yorkshire, HG4 4EB. Please come if you would like to see more of the work of this wonderful artist. Throughout his career John has portrayed the people and places of North East England: cathedrals, antique shops, sheep, tractors, trains and the varied landscape of the Tees Valley. I was delighted to be asked to write the book which accompanies the exhibition and tells of John's beginnings and gradual development as an artist. The book - also entitled 35 - is to be launched at the preview. John and I both grew to our trade in Durham in the late 1970s - a great creative period for the arts - and I have long been an admirer of his work. His lovely painting of Durham Cathedral cloisters hangs in my teaching room and I enjoy looking at it every day. The book contains virtually all the work from this substantial exhibition which shows John's considerable talents as a painter, printmaker and carver. For further details CLICK HERE  John Degnan at work in his studio.
 Racing Green, above, was based on sketches in which I was trying to capture the atmosphere of horses training at Middleham. Every morning long strings of thoroughbreds make their way from the town's stables up to the gallops. Here, overlooking the long sweep of Coverdale, the riders put the horses through their paces. It a wonderful sight. Racing Green is a limited edition print which was published as a set of fifty copies which are now nearly all gone. Only a handful remain.  The same is true of The Steam Rally, Masham. The original painting from which this print was taken was painted for an exhibition about Masham Market Place which was held in Masham church a few years ago. The highlight of every Steam Rally, which takes place on a field just outside Masham, is when the engines are driven into the square on the Saturday evening. Here, as the sun slants through the trees and the smoke and the steam, admirers of the lovely old engines walk through their steaming ranks. The Kings Head usually does a good trade on this evening, as does the fish and chip shop, so the steam fans are usually carrying a pint of ale in one hand and a bag of chips in the other. Its a very English event. If you would like to enquire about either of these prints please CLICK HERE which will take you to the Masham Gallery, which handles these prints for me. My March newsletter is currently available to read online. CLICK HERE to be taken there.  Updates about new paintings and prints, exhibitions and art courses appear every few days on my Artist's Facebook page. By visiting and clicking the LIKE button, news will magically appear on your own Facebook feed. CLICK HERE for a visit.
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