My wife and I have enjoyed two short breaks in Siena in recent years, attracted by the undeniably beauty of the architecture which surprises the visitor at every turn. The entrance to the castle on a bright autumn afternoon. A gift to a close friend to commemorate his 25 years service in the Anglican Church. The magnificent central tower is 218 feet in height and here set against a darkened evening winter sky. I always wondered what lay behind the imposing Castle Gatehouse. And so I sneaked into the courtyard one sunny afternoon in the hope of taking a few snaps for later use. I was quickly discovered by a security guard who after a gentle reprimand, escorted me back to the gate. The River Wear slides slowly bye rowing club pontoons whilst wood smoke curls upwards from burning logs. My wife and I came across this bistro while mooching about London early in 2019. It's stunning roof is formed in COR-TEN steel. The thin layer of rust which forms on exposure to the elements, actually protects the steel underneath. We couldn't resist stopping off for a coffee and observing locals playing chess within. It's only my second painting of a London scene, but I greatly enjoyed capturing the reflections in the windows of the surrounding buildings and the transparency of the bistro itself. Passengers of a gondola being entertained by a singer and his accordionist.
This image was taken prior to shading in the figures. Those interested in purchasing should contact Stuart for an updated image.
Short summary of Castle Keep One of 3 new works for 2021 depicting this villa most famous for the A list celebrities who have visited it over many years. These include Winston Churchill, Greta Garbo and T S Eliot. However, my wife and I traveled there on the strength of seeing the villa depicted on The Trip to Italy with comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Gondola stations adjacent to the Piazza San Marco, rarely observed without the tourist hoardes.
A homàge to Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Wedding Feast,  this painting is loosely based upon the National Trust's Stourhead Estate in Wiltshire.
The north facing Cathedral door features an exact replica of the bronze Sanctuary Knocker. The original is normally part of the Cathedral Treasures display but was part of the Royal Academy's 'Bronze' exhibition during 2012. The majestic Cathedral looms over visitors to the Castle

Stuart Fisher Watercolours

Artist and award winning designer Stuart Fisher has exhibited his watercolour paintings across the region and as far south as Bath’s prestigious Rooksmoor Gallery. Shortly after his birth in Nuneaton Warwickshire in 1954, Stuart's parents moved to Peterlee New Town where he still lives today with his wife Anne.

Stuart believes that a large section of the art buying public are poorly served by the art market and are hungry for the return of traditional painting. He therefore specialises in the production of architectural watercolours within which he aims to imbue the atmospheric ambiance typical of Turner with the technical brilliance of his artistic hero, Sir William Russell Flint.

A career in architecture spanning almost 34 years culminated with his multi award winning design for Durham City's Science Learning Centre North East. This was followed in 2005 by what he terms 'an escape from the tyranny of the right angle' and the subsequent launch of his professional artistic career early in 2010





Original Watercolours for Sale

I cut my artistic teeth painting and drawing trees. This view of the West Towers offered a great opportunity to enjoy myself painting them lit by the dying winter sun.

Durham Cathedral West Towers
Watercolour
Size: 435mm x 290mm
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Visitors linger on the snow covered green as light fades.

The Cathedral at dusk from Palace Green
watercolour
Size:
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