"Babe" 8" x 8" Oil on canvas (SOLD)

Another smaller painting, no prizes for guessing where I got the name from)

"Ethel" 24" x 24" Oil on canvas(SOLD)...and Happy New Year!

Oh and happy valentines days of course! The first time I celebrated Chinese New Year I was at University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. I was working in Chinatown as a dishwasher. It brings back very happy memories, such friendly people, and the best thing was I got my supper cooked for me every night! Soon after I started, it was the New Year celebrations and I was handed a red envelope. Inside the envelope was some money and they said this would bring me luck. Although they didn’t speak much English it was enough to share with me their thoughts and philosophies.
I have to admit a lot of what they said was really thought provoking, indeed the idea of Karma has a huge influence on the way I live my life.
Mind you I did raise my eyebrow when they put a bowl of pigs trotters in front of me one night saying they would make me run faster;o)

I would like to thank Ian Applegate for providing the reference photograph for Ethel.
"Ethel" and "Say ahh!" will be exhibited at Gallerytop. The Calder Gallery holding my paintings "Little Madam" and "Yum Yum" was flooded in January, luckily they were ok. So these have been taken out and will also be shown at Gallerytop.
The exhibition is called FAUNA and starts Saturday 11:00 20th February. Please see their website for further details.

"Little Betsy" 8" x 8" Oil on canvas(SOLD)

Im experimenting a little at the minute. Little Betsy has allowed me to make a few changes although on a smaller scale. Im thinking more about colour and line ,perhaps this will develop a bit in the next few pieces)

"Say ahh!" 24" x 24" Oil on canvas(SOLD)

Well, this reminded me of when I was young visiting the doctors. I often remember him asking me to stick my tongue out and say ahh! I always thought he was seeing how good I was at singing, so made sure I put a lot of effort into those notes. I couldn't have disappointed him because there were several times when I went home with a treat like a lollipop or sugar lump:o)