Residential Course, Higham Hall, The Lake District

Thank you to the York Group of Artists who invited me to Tutor their group at Higham Hall in the Lake District, last week.

I had a really enjoyable time in your company & hope you are pleased with the work you produced?

I Hope to be able to meet with you all again in the future.

Painting Trip in Holland

I have just spent four wonderful days with another four members of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, sailing from Heeg in Holland around the Ijsselmeer (inland sea).

Our generous hosts, Janette & Wieger Van Brue, from the De Scheepskamer Van Heeg Gallery, sailed the barge & made sure we never went hungry!!

During the trip we were accompanied by journalists from National & Local press, Radio & TV and several prestigious magazines, which has provided great advertising for the R.S.M.A.
Click here to view video

It was a wonderful experience, with plenty of paintings been produced.


An exhibition of our work will be held at the De Scheepskamer Van Heeg Gallery, in Heeg April 2009.

Gift Vouchers

Stuck for present ideas?

Gift Vouchers are available for purchase from my website just contact me to let me know the value you require & I'll do the rest.


The voucher will be sent next day, by 1st Class Post, either to yourself, or directly to the recipient, personalising it for the occasion.

The Gift Vouchers will be 203mm x 150mm (A5) depicting one of my paintings & where possible, you can chose the image from one of the paintings shown in the Gallery.

If you'd like to place an order or would like more information, please contact me.

Father's Day 15th June 2008

Unlike Mother's Day, Father’s Day does not have a long standing tradition, hardly a 100 years in fact. It was the creation of an American woman called Sonora Dodd of Washigton State.

Her father, William Smart, was a veteran of the US Civil War whos wife died when their sixth child was born. He never remarried & brought up the children on his own on a rural farm in Eastern Washington State.

As Sonora grew up, she realised just how much her father had given up for her & her brothers & sisters and whilst listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909 she had the idea for a equivalent Father’s Day celebration.

A year later on her father’s birthday, 19th June, the family celebrated the first Father’s Day.

Through her immense efforts, the then President, Calvin Coolidge, in 1924, openly supported the idea of a national Father’s Day in the USA. However it was not until over 40 years later that it became official.

Today Father's Day is celebrated in USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Friday the 13th June, 2008

Thirteen Facts about Friday the 13th:

1. The fear of Friday 13th is called:- Paraskavedekatriaphobia

2. The modern reason for our superstition is said to come from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant against "the Knights Templar". The Templars were executed as heretics, removing the power they had held for so long. There Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified.

3. Is considered a day of bad luck in English, French & Portuguese speaking countries around the world, as well as in Austria, Germany, Estonia, Finland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia & the Philippines.

4. The origin of the fear of Friday the 13th, is said to date back to Nordic Mythology.

5. In Greece, Rommania & Spanish speaking countries, it's Tuesday the 13th that's considered unlucky, whereas in Italy it's Friday the 17th!

6. According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, more than 67 million people are affected by a fear of this day.

7. A British Medical Journal British study has shown that there is a significant increase in traffic-related accidents on Fridays the 13th.

8. This year (2008) has only one Friday the 13th, but 2009 will have 3, in February, March & November.

9. Both Margaret Thatcher & Fidel Castro were born on Friday the 13th, (October 1925 & August 1926 respectively)

10. Certain ocean liners will be held in dock until after midnight to appease passenger's fears on Friday the 13th.

11. Friday was the common day for people to be hanged in the past & there were 13 steps up to the gallows.

12. The remake of the film 'Friday the 13th' is planned for release on Friday 13th 2009.

13. The asteroid 99942 Apophis will make its close encounter on Friday, April 13th 2029.

The Meaning of Sayings (9)

To Flog A Dead Horse

Meaning, to waste time & energy on something which will have a negative outcome.

Thankfully this 'saying' has nothing to do with beating dead animals!!! It's origin is in the 'Horse Latitudes' 30 degrees either side of the equator, where the subsiding dry air & high pressure results in weak winds.

As the tall ships relied on strong winds, they slowed considerably or even stalled altogether, often taking months to pass through the 'Horse Latitudes'.



The advance wages given to sailors at the time of signing on were known as the 'Dead Horse' & by the time a ship had passed through the Horse Latitudes, these would have been worked off.
So, as sailors were paid by the day, a slow passage was to their benefit with no incentive to make much effort, therefore this period of slow progress in mid ocean became known as 'flogging the dead horse'.