New Studio at Norton Conyers

At the beginning of May this year I moved my studio from above David Stead Gallery in the tiny city of Ripon, North Yorkshire, Uk where I'd worked for 15 yrs, to a larger space in the beautiful late 18th century stable block at Norton Conyers House about four miles outside the city. The gallery in Ripon continues and we have a new gallery space in Harrogate too but for the time being, Norton Conyers is taking up my time and thoughts as I strive to get back to work and start making pictures after what seems a long hiatus. Owned by the delightfully eccentric Sir James and Lady Halina Graham, Norton Conyers is a late medieval manor house with Georgian additions and is said to be the inspiration behind Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Apparently Charlotte visited Norton Conyers in 1839 and learned of a legend of a mad woman locked in the attic. This later formed the basis of Bronte's Mrs Rochester character, who was similarly kept in confinement by her husband in the novel.
The house, gardens and indeed, my studio are open to visitors on selected weekends throughout the summer so you can come and explore for yourself.

Norton Conyers House

Stables

Winter Cometh

On the day that Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States, winter comes to Norton Conyers, both arrive on the scene with an unexpected bang - the former somewhat less welcome than the latter. Snow has fallen throughout the morning and in an effort to keep the studio at a workable temperature, I spend most of the time feeding logs into the wood-burner. By lunch-time, though the snow continues to fall, it’s clear that a thaw has set in: clumps of soft, wet snow flop from the trees and the sound of trickling water seeps music into the day. I pull on my wellies and head for the woods - I’ve been thinking of making an autumn woodland picture so I had a wander round with the camera yesterday to gather some ideas. The woods were full of spectacular colour from canopy to leaf littered floor and now I re-visit and see what overnight changes have occurred.  The changes wrought are subtle and delicate - a powdering of snow has filtered through the canopy and dusted the woodland floor and the sky has a steelier look to it but still the autumn holds on. Pheasants call throughout the wood, sometimes flushing from beneath my feet and a woodcock zips between the elephant’s legs of beech. On the way back to the studio I stop to watch the sun go down and as I stand a dog fox slides onto the track and stares me in the eyes. 

Woodburner

I saw it first in Giles's workshop: squat, bulldog legs and growling empty amongst tired tools.

A cast iron fire-dog fed on trees, it had coaxed fruit ripe in the greenhouses of Norton Conyers until supermarkets dazzled us with shinier, shapelier, taste-free options like fruity page three girls.

It is a Jotul 118; built in Norway and designed in the late 1930s by the artist Ørnulf Bast. It reminded me of the Bankdam-Crowther in J.L.Carr's 'A Month In The Country and like Carr's hero Tom Birkin, I'm looking forward to cajoling it to life and learning of its caprice and foible.

Perfectly timed for the recent drop in temperature (can't have an arctic artist), Dougie the sweep and son Paul arrived to infuse life back into the Norse fire-breather on Monday. In an effort to have as little impact on the fabric of the building as possible we'd intended to put the flue out through an already broken pane in the window. It soon became apparent however that we would have to make extensive alterations to the frame and louvres which appear to be original to the building so we ended up going straight up through the roof which has clearly been replaced in recent years and would, we felt, be the better option. The experts did the clever stuff, I replaced the broken glass in the window and all was finished in an afternoon.

So - here we go: for the first time in many years the Jotul 118 gets fire up:

It made for a lovely environment to work in Yesterday and we'll see how it copes as the autumn turns to winter.

Teaching

Finally I have a studio big enough to use as a teaching space as well as for painting so each Wednesday students (poor buggers) come as part of a six week course. The course is open to all levels and is run on an 'atelier' style of mentorship and demonstrations. I will be running more courses later in the year.

Gypsies

5:30am and this on the way to the studio:

Michael Dunne

In June my dear friend and renowned photographer Michael Dunne came to the studio to take some photos. It is always special watching someone who really knows what they're doing and Michael worked with concentration and consummate ease.

Bringing The Studio To Life

When first we see the studio space there is no electricity or water but it is a beautiful space nonetheless. It may have been a grain store or hay loft and the door has a sliding 'cat flap', probably to allow access to ratting terriers.

Moving my easel in was a huge moment:

Uber electrician, Alan Shaw came and power and lighting were installed in a day.

I found a butler's sink,

Built a painting table

and before long we were in business with the first paintings started.

Flowers

Becky has been doing the flowers for the house all summer and they've added colour and life.