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.
A scene reminiscent of Jan Bruegel's famous Hunters in The Snow. One of my all time favourite paintings. Stuart was shortlisted in the 2013 Sunday Times Watercolour Competition for this painting depicting a violent storm breaking over Cromer pier Norfolk. During the storm 'day became night' and Stuart and his wife Anne were soaked through to the skin in the deluge of rain. This lovely church lies on the opposite bank of the River Wear to Durham Cathedral which can be viewed from this spot during winter months.
Membership of the Historic Houses Association does have it's benefits when you've nothing to do over a long weekend. The ancestral home of the Barnard family captured my imagination on a visit in 2017 and I could hardly wait to get it on paper once home. Passengers of a gondola being entertained by a singer and his accordionist.
The ancient medieval arched entrance to the College an area behind the Cathedral which is the home of the clergy and the Chorister School. The staircase to the Cathedral Chapter Office can just be made out in the shadows of the passage in the centre of view which also leads to the Cathedral workshops. Part of the 2014 Durham Cathedral Exhibition. I remember as a small child seeing young calves with noses pressed hard against the red painted slats and my dad demonstrating how they would suckle if offered fingers instead of teats. I can't remember if I was brave enough to take up the challenge, but the event stuck in my mind. This commissioned painting was produced to commemorate the passing of a Durham man who's ashes were deposited in the river in 2019. 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. This the Second of the Villa Cimbrone paintings depicts the Temple of Ceres leading to the Belvedere  or so called Terrace of Infinity which has magnificent views of the Amalfi coast. San Giorgio Maggiore the 16th century Benedictine Basilica is viewed from one of the numerous gondola stations serving tourists visiting Piazza San Marco. The church was designed by Andrea Palladio, and built between 1566 and 1610 in the classical renaissance style. The attic bedroom of Charles Paget Wade an extraordinary man with a passion for collecting. Let nothing perish was his motto which but hints at a life dedicated to finding and restoring beautiful objects whether common or extraordinary.
He packed these into the Cotswold manor house which he bought and renovated for the purpose. From toys, Samurai armour, musical instruments to fine clocks, thousands of treasures are still exhibited just as Mr Wade intended. 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.

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

Elvet Bridge built in 1160 by Bishop Hugh de Puiset. Part of the 2014 Durham Cathedral Exhibition.

More Than Shadows
Sepia watercolour over black ink.
Size:
» More Info

This commissioned painting was produced to commemorate the passing of a Durham man who's ashes were deposited in the river in 2019.

Durham Cathedral from the River Wear
Watercolour
Size: 490mm x 325mm
» More Info