Walk this way

Spent an interesting couple of hours this afternoon on a 'drawing walk' with Turf Projects, talking about boundaries, the Situationists and Sherlock Holmes.  

Find out more about their upcoming projects here http://turf-projects.com/stones-of-croydon/ 

Update

I've been updating my website today.

You can see the progress at http://liswatkins.artspan.com/

The full picture...

I posted details from these three illustrations on the blog last week but here are the finished pieces.  They will be part of a new website for the Chicane School of Motoring which is based in the Beckenham & Bromley area. 

 Find out more about Chicane here http://www.chicaneschoolofmotoring.co.uk/home.html

blue sky thinking

A detail from a illustration currently in progress.

London Urbansketchers programme for 2015

The London Urbansketchers are organising a series of sketchcrawls at various venues in London throughout the year, starting with the British Museum in February, the V&A in March and Kew Gardens in May.

For the full list go to http://urbansketchers-london.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/sketching-programme-for-2015.html

profile

A watercolour profile from last year.

Battle Bus

More sketching today at the Olympic Park, this time the 'Battle Bus', one of only 5 surviving buses used during the First World War.

You can read more about it's history here - http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/projects-partnerships/battle-bus

                                 

                                    

Bus stop

I was sketching today at the Olympic Park during the special bus weekend.  It was lovely and bright although a bit nippy!  There were lots of families and the children seemed particularly enthusiastic going round marking off when they spotted a particular bus design.

The event continues on Sunday, more details here http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/whats-on/events/2014/10/year-of-the-bus-weekend-on-the-park

                                

Family Fun Weekend at the Olympic Park

As I have mentioned before on my blog, I was asked to decorate one of the bus sculptures which were made to celebrate 'The Year of the Bus'.  This weekend, at the Olympic Park, there is a special Family Fun Weekend with a chance to see all the buses before they are auctioned off and to take part in some arty stuff.  I'm going along to do some sketching and help out with one of the activities.  Wrap up warm if you plan to come along!

More details about the Olympic Park here

 http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/

Looking back

A section of one of my watercolours was used on the December cover of 'The Croydon Citizen'.

You can read the issue online at http://thecroydoncitizen.com/site-news/print-archive-december-2014/

The Emperor's New Pyjamas?

A photograph of an exhibit currently on show at the Rise Gallery in Croydon.  The bed doesn't belong to Tracey Emin but to Lee Hadwin, who is also known as the 'Sleep Artist' as he makes his work while in the land of nod.  Apparently.

'A pixel or digit'

'A pixel or digit' is the title of an exhibition currently on at Croydon School of Art curated by Contemporary Art collective Turf Projects.  The 'exhibits' are QR codes which you can 'read' on a mobile 'phone , taking you to a piece of artwork in the virtual world.  

A really interesting concept and new to me!

Find out more here https://twitter.com/Turf_Projects

more cars...

Another detail from current illustration commission.

more work in progress

Work in progress

Detail from current commission.

Beagle found on Mars

Olympic Dreams!

The Croydon bus sculptures have made it to the Olympic Park!

Photograph courtesy of Chris O'Donovan.

'River'

Fantastic exhibition of work by British artist Kurt Jackson on currently at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, South London.  Ends January 24th.

More information here http://www.horniman.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/kurt-jackson-river#image-1

gnarled

Top Drawer

Spent some time today at the trade fair 'Top Drawer' looking at lots of great creative work - available in a shop near you soon!

All aboard!

Ding! Ding! All the Croydon bus sculptures are on diversion to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, soon to converge with all the others spread around London.  On the 24th & 25th January there will be a special family activity weekend before the buses are sent to auction.

Details here http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/whats-on/events/2014/10/year-of-the-bus-weekend-on-the-park

Works on paper

It was lovely to receive an invite from the artist Matt Forster for the upcoming 'Works on Paper Fair' which is being held at the Science Museum in February.  

You can find out more about the event here on their website - http://www.worksonpaperfair.com/ and see examples of Matt Forster's watercolours on his site at http://mjforster.com/

Brighton paintbox

I drew a Croydon paintbox last year and was asked to do a Brighton one by one of my Twitter followers, so here it is!

Draw at the British Museum

The next London Urban Sketchers meet up is on the 7th February at the British Museum.  

Full details of times and where to meet will be available soon on the London Urban Sketchers website here - http://urbansketchers-london.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/lets-draw-british-museum.html

still drawing

Work in progress.

sketching and chat at the Blue Mountain cafe

rewards

Lovely to receive my 'Kickstarter' rewards from contemporary art collective Turf Projects in the post today!

telly sketching the footie

Promotion

The new 'Lemonade' promotional book with my pages highlighted.  For more examples of illustration work, follow this link http://www.lemonadeillustration.com/work/?page=1&artist=307&name=&cat=1&id=161

detail from recent work in progress

Who are you?

An excellent and inspiring display of fourteen pieces of work by Grayson Perry are currently on show at the National Portrait Gallery hidden amongst the permanent exhibition of paintings.

More details here http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/graysonperry/display.php