Lucy and Beau were both completed and delivered before Christmas to delighted recipients I am delighted to say. Done from photographs and worked in soft pastel, both these dogs particularly lent themselves to my style. A good bone structure, healthy coat and gleaming eyes. A treat to draw.
My most recent commission, Ralph. 
Two pastel studies of fruit. A couple of drawings that I will take with me for the open weekends for Bucks Open Studios. I have to say that the cherries were delicious.
#pastelstilllife
#bucksopenstudiosofficial
This whippet isn’t quite finished but I am living with him for a while before the final tweak. He is one of a few pieces I am taking to Bucks Open Studios throughout June. #Bucksopenstudios
A hattrick of eyes has now been achieved, all three sons having submitted to the treatment. I have enjoyed it, a bonding experience and I bet they’d agree with that!
This son was especially engaged with the process and kept peering over the top of the paper to see the half hatched result. It is a very odd sensation, spending twenty minutes or so staring at/into someone’s eye and have them staring right back at you.
This is Fergus, a commemorative gift to a friend.
I managed to strongarm another of my loved ones to submit to the ‘eye’treatment today, this time in my preferred medium of charcoal. Much huffing and puffing ensued from my model but with less propensity to bugger about than his brother.
This is a strangely exposing thing to do both for the sitter and the sketcher, even, or maybe especially, with some one you know very well.
All inspired by a beautiful piece in Bill Hayes’ forthcoming memoir.
#BillHayes #InsomniacCity
Even though I work in bookselling I am not sure about the protocol about sharing news about forthcoming books. If I am given a proof of, say, the best memoir I have yet read, I don’t think I should give bits of it away. So I will only say that Insomniac City by Bill Hayes is indeed a wonderfully warm, compassionate and uplifting read.
And here is a picture of my son’s right eye. If you read the book you’ll see what prompted it.
Not a day without a line 