Other than painting, working in biro is my favourite medium. It is incredibly versatile, capable of creating many tones from the darkest of blacks to the lighted off white. You can work fast and results come quickly. It breaks the obsessiveness of rubbing out and makes you commit to your lines. Bic biro is my favourite kind to work with and mostly always black.

I’ve selected this image to be my next painting, Coventry Market from above. I took this photograph a few years back when I was out snapping areas of Coventry with my daughter. I’m excited by the viewpoint and inspired by the range of warm colours within the image. I particularly love the colour of the tarmac, (which is almost green) with the fading double yellow lines. I have bought some frog tape to help with the stripes, straight lines are not my thing. Sometimes you take a photo which you keep in you specials folder inside your brain, and this is one of those. I have looked at this photo for a long time and feel it is time to share its beautiful colours.

I have pencilled it out and just need to energies to get the paints out. I’m off work with COVID at the mo so anything that requires movement off the bed is no happening. Not just yet.

I have had some lovely supporting feedback about Pennycook and Sons. It was a pleasure to paint, especially the windows in all of their detail. One of the best things about painting scenes is hearing the memories the work triggers for people. So feedback is always truly valued and often provides energy and inspiration to keep going. Thank you.

I am on holidays so am aiming to work on a few new pieces of work over Christmas. I have been wanting to paint this shop for a long time and am working from a mix of photos taken over the last few years. I visited this shop when it was last open and the watchmaker took such time and care to fix things. It’s sad when these small independent shops which provided such skilful care close and are never really replaced with anything like.

I particularly enjoy this view of Pennycook’s, involving the frontage of next door because of the brightness of the circus posters. The first circus poster I painted was in The Three Tuns earlier this year which I enjoyed, the posters bring so much colour to the image.

It takes a while to become settled into a painting, you have to build layers first in paint. I am in the early stages here so another afternoon later this week should bring it on a bit and then I can start to work on the finer detail and the amazing signage – which is beautiful but I’m not sure if I can capture is so accurately.

Last week I photographed the arches down Spon End – they could be next. I’m hoping to crack on this work this next few weeks and am toying with the idea of creating some smaller, faster works too.

Thank you to all those who have left feedback or ordered prints in recent weeks. Take care in these strange times.