Short summary of Durham Castle Just around the corner from The Pantheon, people stream back to their accommodation as evening light fades.
A gift to a close friend to commemorate his 25 years service in the Anglican Church. The majestic Cathedral looms over visitors to the Castle 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. This image was taken prior to shading in the figures. Those interested in purchasing should contact Stuart for an updated image.
I loved the almost abstact quality of the domes in this view. However, we certainly didn't enjoy the long and vertiginous hike from the port to see! them! 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. 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. 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. The Chorister School is situated within The College on the East side of the Cathedral. The School celebrated it's 600th anniversary in 2016 and this painting was commissioned by the then head teacher Yvette Day to mark the event and hangs in the main hall.
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. This Venetian church which lies in the cestiere Cannaregio was founded in the 10th century. Part of the 2014 Durham Cathedral exhibition. The Cathdral from College Green, an area behind Durham Cathedral mostly overlooked by tourists and home to the Cathedral clergy.

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

Saddler Street to the right of the painting at one time boasted a castelated gateways protecting the entrance to the Cathedral quarter, a remnant of which can be seen behind an obscure doorway off the main street.

The corner of Owengate and Saddler Street, Durham City.
Watercolour
Size: 440 x 215mm
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A former Cistercian Abbey near the market town of Helmsley, Rievaulx was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538. It's picturesque ruins are now a regional tourist attraction.

Rievaulx Abbey, North Yorkshire
Watercolour
Size:
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