Emma Barnett as Mona Lisa
BBC journalist Emma Barnett as Mona Lisa. I did not get selected for portrait artist of the year (again) this year (quelle surprise) so I missed my chance to do this on the show. Acrylics on canvas board from a publicity photo with Emma‘s Mona Lisa smile on. A travesty of, or a homage to Leonardo, depending on how you see it. Or just a bit of fun, which is how I see it.
Puck
An experiment with blackboard chalk on black paper. Inspired by Sergo Vares as Puck in Holly Race Roughan’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in December 2025. A crazy wonderful moody production with a mischievous and insolently malevolent Puck.
Art imitating Art
An attempt at a different twist on a self portrait with a competition entry in mind. This was a photo I snapped during work on the painting of happy Pete shown below. Acrylics on canvas.
Oneself
Acrylics on canvas board. A new self-portrait in case I feel motivated to enter Sky Portrait Artist of the Year again this year. I have tried to introduce a bit of movement, mood, mystery...
A blank canvas
Acrylics on canvas.
Dante
This is Dante, one of the happy guys who works around the pool at the marina where we stay on holiday in Barbados. I told him I was an artist and collected faces. He was dubious at first and looked at me as if I had said I collect shrunken heads. Eventually I persuaded him to let me take his photo and this is my portrait of him in watercolours. Watercolours are not my preferred medium, but I am trying to improve by practising. Experience is telling me that the key is to keep to a very restricted number of colours and rely mostly on tonal variation to get detail, volume et cetera.
Happy Pete
My great friend Pete who, like me, is now getting on a bit, has been drummer and lead vocalist with the same rock band since his college days. All of them have had different professional careers but continued to play in the band together in their spare time. Here he is in his happy place, behind the drum kit. Acrylics on canvas.
Amanda at work
Acrylics on canvas board. I loved this photo of my friend Amanda at one of her frequent wine-tastings. Amanda is on Instagram as @drinkwithmeuk and knows everything there is to know about the stuff. I tried to capture the concentration, the intensity of the moment. Amanda says it makes her look as if she knows what she's doing. She does.
You couldn’t make it up
Collage, watercolour wash and acrylics on paper. These are genuine headlines! The title and the portrait, I hope, speak for themselves. Close scrutiny of the coloured banner under the masthead shows in faint type something that is also relevant. Art as therapy in an increasingly mad world.
Mag, a homecoming
Acrylics on canvas board. My very first commission! Portrait from a photo, done by request of Mag's husband for a 'Big Birthday' present.
Mia
Acrylics on canvas board. Mia is our younger, 5-year-old Viszla, always on the alert.
Jools
Acrylics on canvas board. My lovely wife chatting with me over a drink as the sun sets.
Georgia
Acrylics on canvas board. Georgia works in the office a couple of doors down from my studio and agreed I could paint this from a Facebook photo. Georgia has the original painting now.
Moxie
Acrylics on canvas board. Moxie is the older of our two Viszlas (9yrs).
The baleful look is authentic.
Arturo Tappin
Acrylics on canvas board. Painted from a posed photo when we first met and chatted to saxophonist Arturo Tappin during his session at a Barbados restaurant. He plays mainly in the US and in Barbados.
Selfie
Acrylics on canvas board
Matilda
Acrylics on canvas board. My Grand daughter Matilda.
Mike Miller-Smith, MBE, FRAeS.
Acrylics on canvas board. Mike is CEO of the disabled flying charity Aerobility.
Out of it
Self-portrait. Ballpoint on sketch paper
Mia
Ballpoint on sketch paper. Mia is our 5-year-old Wire-Haired Viszla
Portrait of the artist as a tired man
Ballpoint on sketch paper.
He who needs no introduction
Fine liner and highlighters on drawing paper.
Moxie and Mia
Ballpoint on sketch paper. Our two Wire-Haired Hungarian Viszlas.
Moxie (age 9, on the left) and Mia (age 5).
Arturo Tappin
Ballpoint on sketch paper, from a monochrome publicity photo of this charismatic jazz saxophonist, whom we met and chatted to between sets in his home country of Barbados.
Old Salt
An early exercise done during my local 'Colour Wheel' art classes in 2023. The idea was to draw directly on the page of a book, using ballpoint.