The Basilica of St Mary of Health (Italian: Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute), commonly known as the Salute, is a minor basilica which stands on a narrow finger of land between the Grand Canal and the Bacino di San Marco making the church visible from the Piazza San Marco.The church was designed in the then fashionable baroque style by Baldassare Longhena, and construction began in 1631.The dome of the Salute was an important addition to the Venice skyline and soon became emblematic of the city, inspiring artists like Canaletto, J. M. W. Turner and John Singer Sargent. The ancient medieval arched entrance to The College, an area on the south side of the Cathedral which is the home of the Cathedral clergy and the Chorister School. A beautiful day relaxing on College Green Commissioned to celebrate the retirement of a close friend, the magnificent Rose Window with Dun Cow Lane in the middle distance. I wanted to paint this and the view of Elvet bridge from Prince Bishop's Car Park for ages and only their complexity put me off, though eventually I couldn't resist the challenge. Short summary of Durham Cathedral from Court Inn The view of the Cathedral most often overlooked by tourists and visitors. This beautifully lit jug of sunflowers was sitting on the metal table depicted in a recent Owengate cafe painting. Although a departure from my normal subject material, the painting process gave great pleasure. And despite the obvious allure of the flowers themselves, my favourite passages are the rusty ends to the metalwork of the garden chairs. 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. I was fascinated by this giant mechanism during a trip up the Thames in 2019. This the third of the Villa Cimbrone paintings depicts a sunny hidden cloister with charming twisted columns. 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. A Cornish fishing village, Mevagissey now derives most of it's income from tourism. The brightly coloured vessels in it's harbour, the narrow winding streets and the stunning coastline being the obvious attractions.

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

The University Library had a major refit before exhibiting The Lindisfarne Gospels to great public acclaim in 2013.

Durham University Library Entrance.
Sepia watercolour over black ink.
Size: 400 x 285 mm, 610 x 495 mm o/a.
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Used primarily as a venue for special occassions associated with Durham University and as student accommodation, it is known to students simply as Castle.

Durham Castle (watercolour and ink)
Sepia watercolour over black ink.
Size: 400 x 220 mm.
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