This interesting bay window faces onto Palace Green. 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. A meeting place for locals, tourists and bikers alike, the square which is surrounded with a pleasing mix of architectural styles, is the hub of this thriving Swaledale market town. 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. 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 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. In reality this view is obscured by trees. The towers of the north transept would therefore not be visible without the judicious application of 'Artistic Licence'. A scene reminiscent of Jan Bruegel's famous Hunters in The Snow. One of my all time favourite paintings. The entrance to The Castle under a fresh covering of snow This giant water wheel is part of the Killhope Lead Mining Museum located in the North Pennines area of County Durham. At one time in the late 19th century, the mine was one of the most productive in Britain. Little did my patron realise when commissioning the painting, that in another life, I was responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of the museum's visitor centre. 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. 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. The River Wear slides slowly bye rowing club pontoons whilst wood smoke curls upwards from burning logs. 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. 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.

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

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.

In The Footsteps of Van Gogh
Watercolour
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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.

Elvet Bridge looking towards Old Elvet
Watercolour
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