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. The magnificent castle and Cathedral dominate the skyline above the river on a bitterly cold winters day. 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 entrance to the castle on a bright autumn afternoon. This church with it's Romanesque tower dating back to the 13th century, sits at the highest elevation in the village. The covered seating gives shelter and great views down the coast to Teesport to the weary traveller. 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. The picturesque Old Mill Hotel stands adjacent to Bathampton Toll Bridge on the River Avon 3 miles from Bath. The bridge is one of only a handfull still operational in the country. A fisherman mending baskets watched by his young protegè on the island of Skiathos in Greece. York Minster is one of the largest Gothic Cathedrals in Europe and is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second highest office of the Church of England. Everything about Girona Cathedral is an inspiration, not least this glorious doorway! The Cathedral Central Tower can be seen behind the Church of St Mary's The Less which was founded in 1140 and was principally for the soldiers of the garrison which manned the city walls. The ancient water tower is in the foreground with the arched entrance to the Choristers School behind. Stunning baroque architecture meets the eye around every corner in the beautiful city of Verona. We came across this famous North Norfolk structure whilst laying the ground for a commissioned painting of the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in 2017. However the dramatic sky-scape was inspired by a previous visit, whilst motoring from Ely to Cromer across outherwise featureless open fenland. An apocalyptic storm was brewing some distance away across ploughed fields and I pulled over to enjoy the spectacle and take a few snaps. The billowing clouds had yet to touch the ground and a bright strip of sky formed a band across the horizon. These storms are a feature of the Norfolk landscape and I couldn't resist using what I'd seen to add drama to the Cley painting.

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

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.

A bistro in London's Aldgate Square
Watercolour
Size: 378mm x 280mm
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A fisherman mending baskets watched by his young protegè on the island of Skiathos in Greece.

Finishing Touches
Watercolour
Size:
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