This is the last sketch I did in Manchester done outside The New Oxford pub, of the building where our daughter lived for two years. Although it’s been converted into apartments, they managed to keep some of the beautiful Victorian glazed tile decorations in the hallways and staircases.
Thu-6-Aug-2026
I sketched this at the Whitworth (Art Gallery) cafe after going to see an exhibition called “Beneath the Great Wave: Hokusai and Hiroshige”, highlighting the famous woodblock landscape works of Edo-period Japanese masters Katsushika Hokusai Utagawa Hiroshige. In my sketch I only managed to capture part of two people and a tree before they moved, but often I find that half-finished sketches turn out better!
Thu-6-Aug-2026
While our daughter was working we went to look at the nearby Cathedral – which is newly refurbished. It threatened to rain repeatedly as we sat and sketched…windy and cold then suddenly sunny and hot.
Wed-5-Aug-2026
On this day we went into town for a last visit to Fred Aldous (a huge Manchester art materials store) and I indulged again by buying paper and some Caran D’Ache water soluble neocolour II Aquarelle crayons and some Faber-Castell watercolour pencils (which I used in this sketch). Afterwards we had coffee (to get out of a sudden shower of rain) at this place nearby and then went back to helping our daughter with more packing.
Wed-5-Aug-2026
After our visit in Calne we did a lot of driving and visiting friends (in Bath, Gloucestershire, Birmingham and finally getting to Salford)…so there is a bit of a break in my sketches during this time. After a day of helping our daughter pack up her flat I sketched this in the evening before dinner at her place, when we cooked up lentils, beans and couscous.
Tue-4-Aug-2026
On this day we drove to the West Country and Calne in lovely weather. After chatting and eating in the garden of old friends we then went to a different kind of cultural event at Bowood House. This was an open-air theatre production of the Great Gatsby performed by the touring company “This is My Theatre”. It was brilliantly done and surprisingly funny given the subject matter. Four actors swapped and played multiple roles while we ate a picnic – very posh of us!
Sat-1-Aug-2026
On this day we went to Preston Park in Brighton to watch Nick Cave. This quick sketch was done while the supporting act (English Teacher) were playing. After this we moved into the crowd, watching the Flaming Lips (who were not so great live) and then the man himself. The crowds were huge and very packed – some people fainted (maybe from sitting in the sun from 1pm onwards and drinking). My wife had to move to the edge of the crowd to get some air (and see more). By the end of the concert my feet were aching and my throat was sore (from a cold coming on and cheering of course). But it was brilliant – what a performer.
Fri-31-Jul-2026
Here is a sketch done during a brief trip to the beach in Hove. I didn’t swim, but paddled…compared to the sea in the Philippines it was like standing in ice water. The day before this I spent a quiet day finishing half done sketches and also went to Jackson’s in Hove to indulge.
Fri-31-Jul-2026
After our long walk over the Downs we walked around Lewes seeing the castle, a church, down the Twittens (a “twitten” is an old Sussex word for a narrow path or alleyway running between walls or buildings and Lewes has a famous network of these Saxon pathways), through Southover Grange Gardens (set next to the 16th-century Southover Grange Manor House) where we had ice creams and then to Priory Park. This is a public park build around the remains of the 11th-century Priory of St. Pancras, mostly demolished in 1537, I believe by Henry VIII.
Wed-29-Jul-2026