Most of the sketches and paintings on this website combine the inspiration for painting people and a great love of jazz. Jazz musicians communicate through their instruments and their facial expressions capture their dedication to the notes, melodies and improvisation. The challenge is to capture that 3D expression on paper. Their total immersion in playing jazz means that they are rarely aware of somebody sketching, so their expressions are totally true to their music. The main venue on this website is Burgundy's Wine Bar in Kendal, Cumbria, UK, where there is a jazz gig every thursday night from 21.00 to 23.00. For the past 7 years, the owner, Mike Pennington has hosted this weekly gig. Ted Richards, who is often the drummer, organises the gigs and jazz musicians come here from all parts of NW England and beyond. The gallery of sketches are of these extremely talented jazz musicians. I have also included sketches and paintings not only from other jazz venues but also from many sketching trips in the UK and overseas to the wild and spectacular Ladakh, Patagonia, Peru, Greenland and Svalbard - trips with David Bellamy and other great friends. For my watercolours I am indebted for the learning from Erik Gleave, David Bellamy, Catherine MacDiarmid and Charles Reid.
Commissions welcomed - through contact section