1. Lovely lady at (bitterly cold) market recently who bought a Tyseley fridge magnet and kindly modelled for me her extremely warm handknitted gloves, for benefit of my twin in USA. “Tell her it’s a WWII recipe” she said

    When I asked if I could email her the photo she laughed and said “Darling I don’t do email. I’m 89. I’m a dinosaur!”

    …& tastefully concealed scaffolding in nice old London church last week, the name of which totally escapes me

    …& poster for upcoming exhibition in Tina’s beautiful garden!

  2. iPad sketch of one of the gardens at RHS Spring Show last week (NB wet Malvern hills behind), drawn from stall between bouts of rain and wind that blew the roof off… But compensated by the complimentary remarks from kind customers, viz these nice quotes in my comments book: “Sam & Evie Knight visited the Malvern Show and found Jan’s amazing art! Refreshing & invigorating - full of life!” “Your artwork is lovely. Different but traditional!” “Jan - Great to see Birmingham in such a pleasing art form. Well done. Book going to Afghanistan” “Thank you for such an interesting chat and for showing me your fantastic work - David” “Lovely, lovely eye. You ‘see things’!” “Jan: Your art rocks my world! - Helen” All good for the soul :)

    iPad sketch of one of the gardens at RHS Spring Show last week (NB wet Malvern hills behind), drawn from stall between bouts of rain and wind that blew the roof off…

    But compensated by the complimentary remarks from kind customers, viz these nice quotes in my comments book:

    “Sam & Evie Knight visited the Malvern Show and found Jan’s amazing art! Refreshing & invigorating - full of life!”

    “Your artwork is lovely. Different but traditional!”

    “Jan - Great to see Birmingham in such a pleasing art form. Well done. Book going to Afghanistan”

    “Thank you for such an interesting chat and for showing me your fantastic work - David”

    “Lovely, lovely eye. You ‘see things’!”

    “Jan: Your art rocks my world! - Helen”

    All good for the soul :)

  3. This is Oxford Botanic Gardens, with dear aged rels P and S, drawn from a sketch I did with P two years ago on that very spot Just finished this pic in time for Oxford Art Market. I’ll be there 9-5.30 this Saturday, 20 April in Broad Street, with this, loads of prints, the Book, those fridge magnets and my beautiful big new mugs. Photos to follow. Boxes just arrived!

    This is Oxford Botanic Gardens, with dear aged rels P and S, drawn from a sketch I did with P two years ago on that very spot

    Just finished this pic in time for Oxford Art Market. I’ll be there 9-5.30 this Saturday, 20 April in Broad Street, with this, loads of prints, the Book, those fridge magnets and my beautiful big new mugs. Photos to follow. Boxes just arrived!

  4. Saw this great new adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Bristol Old Vic last week. Instead of the usual contrived stuff about donkey’s heads, in this production Titania falls in love with the arse of Miltos Yerolemou (with red sash above, who was excellent, as was Akiya Henry as Hermia). Suddenly the play made more sense and was much wittier. So that’s why he’s called Bottom!

  5. Fridge Magnets!!!… big 58mm ones, of those worthy Birmingham icons Curzon Street station, Tyseley incinerator, Chamberlain Square fountain, Alpha Tower and the Rotunda

  6. Just in time for spring, here’s a new drawing of one of the best bits of Birmingham, now on sale in my shop. It matches my Shopping in Ladypool Road print, which is nearly sold out, and includes friends and neighbours and Abdul the helpful butcher. This one’s called Ladypool Road Supermarket, at least until I can think of something more imaginative

    Just in time for spring, here’s a new drawing of one of the best bits of Birmingham, now on sale in my shop. It matches my Shopping in Ladypool Road print, which is nearly sold out, and includes friends and neighbours and Abdul the helpful butcher.

    This one’s called Ladypool Road Supermarket, at least until I can think of something more imaginative

  7. …and here’s some more dog portraits, and St Goranus church in Cornwall. Lovely old churchyard in state of genteel decay.

    I’m giving a slideshow on Tuesday morning to Solihull Art History Society about creativity and the iPad. These are iPad drawings of course…

    (And selling prints at Birmingham University on Wednesday from 9 till 3, just so you know)

  8. MONTHS later, after long hiatus, here are some portraits of a very nice labrador I learned to draw at Christmas.