This painting of an empty chair in an abandoned dwelling in Madeira is paired, in a sense, with my earlier empty chair painting of a chair in an old house at Peakside, near Frosterly.

 

 

In each case, the chair looks as if a person just stood up and walked away from it, creating a mystery as to why the house was abandoned. I never change anything in the houses I paint and leave it to the person looking at the painting to fill in the gaps if they wish to, and to imagine the people who lived there.

 I have just started sketching out this homage to Riddlehamhope - a building I have painted several times.

 

'Moorhouse Farm' is now completed and prints are available from my website or the gallery. This old farmhouse is near Allendale, Northumberland, and I am also working on a window painting from the same building. I am continuing to paint from my Prudhoe gallery, although the gallery is closed right now, of course. Take care.

 

I  am currently working on two paintings of the same building, Moorhouse Farm, near Allendale, Northumberland. The painting of the farm itself is closer to completion than the window painting. The window is to the right of the farmhouse.The detail of the farmhouse itself is taking some time - the scrubby grass at the front of the scene, and the tiny stream.

 

 

The whole place is so fragile that I suspect it won't stand another year. The tipping point isn't far away.

 Thank you, Tyne Valley Express magazine for this article about my work and time in Madeira, and the painting of the same name - 'Madeira' - such a beautiful island. Prints are available online or from my Prudhoe gallery.

 

 

 

My latest work in progress features Moorhouse, above Catton in Allendale.

 

This time last year, I was going for a blood transfusion in Hexham hospital. My good friend Chaz asked me I wanted to go anywhere, and we drove to Moorhouse and discovered these cottages. The photographs were quite inspiring and may lead to further paintings in due course. 

 

 

We also went to Limestone Brae, which also resulted in the painting below. Prints of 'Limestone Brae' are available and you are welcome to come into the gallery to see 'Moorhouse' develop. 

 

 

This is my latest painting, featuring a view from the foothills of the Himalayas - 'Sunset, Dharamkot, India'. Dharamkot overlooks the bustling town of McCleod Ganj, where the Dalai Lama is exiled to. I lived in this area for some time and got to know the small villages and people well.

 

 

I’ve visited this area repeatedly since 1979 and this is the most recent work in the series. This painting is available as an original or print.

 

 

Thank you to the Tyne Valley Express for this piece about my work and my appearance on BBC's Countryfile.