It's no longer January!!

It’s always great to see the back of January with its cold short days and weather that most of us would rather be without. This January had its fair share of snow and ice when it is simply too miserable to spend too much time in the workshop, I usually dedicate this time to my second passion drawing and painting. This year I had a different plan late last year while preparing some timber for another project I had a number of off cuts that were simply too good to discard this presented me with the ideal opportunity to make my own watercolour box, using the figured Ash I had. The image shows the finished box ready for pigment to be added I must admit I am really looking forward to adding my watercolours and using this over the coming years. 

Figured Ash Watercolour box



I have also during this period made myself a Pochade box. This is an all in one design with storage and an easel for working En plien air, this project is another that I had been thinking of making for some time and I must say at present I am very pleased with the result, although I feel sure it will evolve over time and perhaps this is but the first I will make. The Box is made from pallet wood and recycled plywood the only cost has been for the fittings, all timber was entirely free using a contemporary term it is an up-cycled Pochade Box!

The box lid has an added box which holds spare and wet panels it attaches to the lid of the box which double as the easel, the base of the box has a large are to store brushes, paint and mediums on the underside it has an adaptor plate mounted this  allows it to be mounted onto a tripod,

 The lid when open creates the easel where I mount the boards to paint; everything I need is carried inside the box. This is something I have really enjoyed making as it is so different to the work I normally undertake.



My upcycled Pochade box.



My first trip out before the January snow arrived.



 

This is a group of trees close to my home that I keep returning to paint.close to Norwich airport.

My year usually starts slowly this year seems to have been be a little different I have already had a good deal of teaching and production work to do and boy was it cold in the spindle production workshop. I am currently focusing on new work as I have several exhibitions ahead of me this year and I like to present new pieces for these events. I am hoping to post some work in progress images here so check back from time to time.