HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Early Snowdrops seen in Okehampton with my very best wishes to you all for a Happy New Year!

December colours

It has been incredibly mild and the flowers are quite confused! I saw this beautiful Passion flower on a wall in Newton Ferrers on Sunday where there were also daffs in flower and Mimosa out!

Autumn Colours

The Autumn colours have been really beautiful this year and even on a dull day they look good. This is one of my favourite views, the Salmon Pool on the river Teign.

the River Taw

It has been glorious weather as you can see from this picture taken on my walk along the river Taw above Belstone

The Salmon Pool near Chagford

The Salmon pool was looking really lovely this morning, I think it is a bit early to see the salmon but I shall be looking out for them when we have some heavy rain.

Heather Time on Dartmoor

Dartmoor is looking at its best right now with all the gorse and heather in flower, it is especially good around Haytor where I took this picture while out on a walk.

Sunshine on Chagford

It is a beautiful morning here in Chagford although above the village huge clouds are looming over the moors. I took this from below Castle Drogo and it shows Chagford quite clearly, it will not look like this for much longer as the light green fields below the church are being developed and soon a new housing etate will be there!

Common Blue Butterflies

This is my latest watercolour, recently I was several beautiful bright blue Common Blue butterflies basking in the earky morning sunshine on the only bit of the wildflower meadow that had been left uncut, they lookes so beautiful I had to dash to my studio and do a painting of them. Just think how many more there might be if that meadow had been left a little longer!

Thandi & Thembi

This is my new painting of Thandi and Thembi, it is titled "Protection". Thandi is the amazing Rhino that survived having her horn hacked off by poachers, so it is wonderful that she now has a calf. The sale of this painting will be donated to the charity www.helpingrhinos.org who are trying to protect these wonderful animals.

Michael Storey Sculptures

I am proud to be one of only three galleries in the UK that is showing the beautiful bronzes of the famous sculptor Michael Storey. Each of his bronzes in unique and they all have a beautiful patina and colour. To see the collection I have do look at my website www.devonsnatureinart.com they are in the "Other Work in the Gallery" section in the Portfolio of Works.

Misty Morning

Mists rising in the Teign Valley on my morning walk below Castle Drogo.

FINGLE BRIDGE

Fingle Bridge is looking lovely at the moment and we enjoyed a drink overlooking the Teign yesterday evening, I am surprised there were so few people there!

The Blind Cat

I have just been painting a little watercolour of our neighbours cat Charlie who spends nearly all of his time with us. He is nearly 20 and quite blind so I wrote a little poem which I have painted around the picture. This reads...The blind cat wanders
            Searching for his sight
            If he just goes a little further
            Then will he find the light?
            I am sure he wonders why
            After days that were so bright
            Why all he ever sees now
            Is never ending night!

On Meldon Hill

There were several ponies with newborn foals today enjoying the sunshine on Meldon Hill with Chagford down below in the distance.

Spring

Suddenly the new leaves of spring are opening and everything is looking beautiful in the sunshine, this is a view along the Hunters Path below Castle Drogo near Chagford.

Blacks Equine Customer!

I just had to take this picture of this customer at Blacks the brilliant deli next to my gallery!

Springtime in Devon

The Primroses and daffodils are fantastic here this year and this warm spell of weather has brough out many butterflies, I have seen several male Brimstones, Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells. Also several Swallows have arrived back which is always such a joy to see.

Oystercatchers

I have just been working on some watercolours of Oystercatchers and Sanderlings having been inspired by seeing them on the Exe estuary, I have really enjoyed painting these in a loose watercolour style.

ECLIPSE

Just been watching the wonderful eclipse in a large stone water trough at Rushford Mill on my morning walk to Chagford.

A Walk above Belstone

Another stunningly beautiful day with amazingly blue skies. I had a lovely walk on Dartmoor above Belstone it was absolutely silent with no one around just the sheep & the skylarks to keep me company.

Gallery at Bruton

A visit to the Hauser & Wirth Gallery in Bruton, Somerset. As you aproach the beautiful buildings that house the gallery it looks as if someone has put a load of washing out as strung from the rooftops are lines of pants. The installation "Used & Washed Underpants" is lit up at night, (I pity the neighbours)! Inside the wonderful large gallery rooms was a selection of rubbish in the name of art, I know this sounds terrible but it is all I can describe it as and I found myself getting quite angry that anyone can consider it important enough to put it on display.

The Belvedere at Claremont

A visit to Claremont Landscape Garden, Esher in Surrey. A trip down memory lane for me as it is where I went to school and in those days quite overgrown. I spent many happy hours at the top of this Belvedere, reading and sunbathing. Strictly "Out of Bounds!" and quite dangerous as it was in a poor state of repairs then. Now it is all very smart and owned by the National Trust, but not nearly as exciting as when it was all overgrown!

Winter Snow, Chagford

I have just completed this oil painting of the sheep in the field beside the river Teign and the view towards Chagford and Meldon Hill which today looks rather like this.

the view from Meldon Hill

A beautiful day and a walk up Meldon Hill, this is the view from the top overlooking Chagford.

A Fox in the garden!

We have a nightly visit from this beautiful fox to our garden, it comes really close to the window and I was able to get this picture without it seeming at all bothered by the flash!

WINTER FROST

We had a really frosty morning last week and I took this picture as I walked into Chagford from Whiddon Park.