Stunning baroque architecture meets the eye around every corner in the beautiful city of Verona. Looking up as I always do when walking around a great city, this otherwise ignored facade captured my imagination and became one of two shortlisted in the 2016 Sunday Times Watercolour Competition. St Mary's Anglican Church in the former Durham mining village of Horden celebrated it's centenary on Friday 26th of April 2013. The painting was commissioned by Reverend Father Kevin Smith and the Church Council to permanently mark the event and was unveiled by the Bishops of Jarrow and Beverley. This ancient water tower is situated in the College precinct between the Chorister School and former Cathedral Kitchen. Opened in 1966 the Grade 1 listed structure designed by Sir Ove Arup, links the historic peninsular to Dunelm House on Old Elvet. This folly once belonged to Polish born 'Count' Joseph Boruwlaski (1739-1837) a dwarf musician who entertained much of european aristocracy in his lifetime ending his days in Durham City and being buried in the Cathedral. A life size statue of him and various personal effects are kept in The Town Hall. One of the jewels of Oxford, the Clarendon was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and built between 1711 and 1713 to house the Oxford University Press. The building lies adjacent the Sheldonian Theatre which was designed by Hawkmoor's mentor and tutor Sir Christopher Wren. Sadly this delightful 18th Century church is set to be converted into a private dwelling house. I vividly remember childhood expeditions to surreptitiously collect shiny new conkers in the church yard. The church is near to where a claw style green glass beaker dated to the 5th century AD and of Frankish origin, was unearthed from under a hedge in 1775. The area at the time was being worked upon by local landowner Rowland Burdon. The church had been built only a few years earlier and The Beaker as it became to be known, was found with it's base sticking out of the ground by an estate worker. It is held in The British Museum and is evidently the only one of it's kind to be found in England. Elvet Bridge built in 1160 by Bishop Hugh de Puiset. Part of the 2014 Durham Cathedral Exhibition. This commissioned painting was produced to commemorate the passing of a Durham man who's ashes were deposited in the river in 2019. The medieval rose window as seen from the Bailey was installed by the Architect James Wyatt in the 18th century ostensibly to replace an original 13th century example. The main door to the Cathedral adorned with an exact replica of the world famous medieval Sanctury Knocker 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 ancient medieval arched entrance to the College an area behind the Cathedral which is the home of the clergy and the Chorister School. Part of the 2014 Durham Cathedral Exhibition. 16thc Horden Hall looms over the once thriving farm buildings.

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

A fisherman mending baskets watched by his young protegè on the island of Skiathos in Greece.

Finishing Touches
Watercolour
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A beautiful day relaxing on College Green

Durham Cathedral, Summer Shadows
watercolour
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