Chris Fothergill’s BLOG
Recent commissions, urban sketching and creative projects
Creating a Japanese album sketchbook
Creating a what? A Japanese album is sometimes known as an ‘accordion’ album, as the pages are joined zigzagging continuously throughout the book. This means that the whole album can be folded outwards to form one long strip of paper. Moleskine make them... read more
“Radcliffe Camera and St. Mary’s, Oxford”
The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford is an irresistible subject for me. One of the finest buildings in the world, and a challenging perspective to attempt freehand. This angle is from Catte Street, and shows the church of St Mary the Virgin behind. I have tried to leave the... read more
“After the Rain, St. Mark’s Square Venice”
I promised myself this year that I would submit some paintings into public exhibitions, not just my own. This was partly to make myself try to paint to a higher standard, or at least try harder! So I painted this view of St.Mark’s Square and entered it for the... read more
Painting of the Week! Campo San Barnaba, Venice
I wanted to paint something really bright and sunny again this week as our summer is a long time coming. So I’ve revisited an old favourite haunt in Venice, the square dominated by the Church of Saint Barnabas, which has found fame in popular culture by being... read more
Fishing Boats at St. Ives, Cornwall
Fishing Boats at St. Ives, Cornwall With all the beautiful sunny weather this week I just wanted to paint something really sunny and summery. Looking through an old sketch book I found a pen and ink drawing of some boats from when we were on holiday as a... read more
The Shard, London
The Shard nearly finished, April 2012 Yes the painting is nearly finished, but it was the subject I was referring to, known as The Shard. This is the most exciting architectural accomplishment of the decade in the City of London, and now the tallest building in... read more
CHEDWORTH ROMAN VILLA – an unusual commission.
When a letter came through my door last Autumn inviting me to consider painting a wall in one of the most important Roman Villas in the country I was somewhat taken aback. What did I know about Roman Wall Painting? A major transformation project has been carried out... read more
Plantec Distribution Warehouse
OK so it’s a factory! But it’s a commission from a company who wanted a couple of paintings of their holding centres for a new showroom/lobby. So how to make a painting from an unpromising photograph? I enjoyed depicting the smartness of the building front to the... read more
A Painting of St.Michaels, Duntisbourne Rouse
Last Friday was the most beautiful warm and sunny Spring day so I packed up my paints to seek pastures new, and do some painting ‘en plein air’. I had not been down the Duntisbourne valley before (just west of Cirencester) but with daffodils lining the lanes it was... read more
Malmesbury Abbey Painting
Why do I like Malmesbury so much? The Abbey surely has much to do with it. I sang there with my choir (Wessex Male Choir) last year, and the atmosphere and acoustics were lovely. But in Spring weather such as we have had recently I decided to ‘get around’ to painting... read more
Painting Water and Bridges
This is an unusual subject for me – a bridge on Exmoor, (but do you know which one?) It’s a famous one, and very old. I was commissioned to paint this as a birthday present for someone. I used burnt sienna as a base wash behind much of it which gives it the reddish... read more
The Radcliffe Camera, Oxford
I return to Oxford again and again to paint as I love architectural subjects, and Oxford contains some of the finest buildings in the world. I’m not sure this painting is completely finished yet, but with watercolour it’s usually best to stop while you’re winning, and... read more
Springtime at Arlington Row, Bibury
Wishful thinking whilst we’re still in February, but I just painted this one for the cover of my ‘Cotswolds in Watercolour 2012’ Calendar, which needs to be printed soon, to be in the shops by Easter. I’ve painted this view a number of times before, but each time it... read more
The High and Queens College, Oxford
It’s usually sunny in my paintings, but here there are people with umbrellas, and the mood is restrained and a little damp! I found a line drawing of this view in a drawer, which I drew many years ago, and realised that I never actually turned it into a painting. I... read more
Chipping Campden in Snow
The recent snow has inspired me to paint a number of snowscenes, and in this depiction of the Almshouses in Chipping Campden, I am revisiting a scene I have painted before. This is partly to contribute to an ‘Artist’s Guide to the Cotswolds’ on which I am working, and... read more
Northleach Market Place – but as you have never seen it before
Eh? I hear you say, wait a minute, the left hand side of the painting is recognisable, but what is that building on the right? In fact the picture above is a painting by Chris Fothergill, but a very close copy of an ink and watercolour painting of the Market Place by... read more
Let it Snow!
Arlington Row, Bibury in the snow. I love painting snow, it’s so rewarding and pretty! But only from the comfort and warmth of my studio. Actually I did stand and do an drawing of the Bibury picture on the spot, but half an hour is enough. I have tried painting in the... read more
‘A Street in Northleach’ by L. S. Lowry 1947
(This painting is a copy by me, in acrylic paints on canvas) Which is in fact ‘The Green, Northleach’ featuring Tudor House, home to Fothergills Gallery for 15 years from 1994 to 2010, to the left hand side of the painting! This painting by Lowry came to light... read moreTravels with my Art – The Cities of Umbria 2010
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