Florence - Charles H Cecil Studios 2010

This trip was my second to Florence and this time I was there to learn how to paint portraits using the sight size technique that stems directly from the leading ateliers of nineteenth century Paris.
Sight-size as a portrait practice has been used by masters since the seventeenth century, including artists such as Reynolds, Lawrence and Singer-Sargent.

In the evenings we had slide lectures by Charles himself or life studies where we would be required to draw a model in a series of five minutes poses.

After a week of painti​n​g it is plain to see that I had a long way to go. Below are comments from Charles...
For Nestor’s portrait.
“Why did you do that?” “The forehead is too short” “The skin colour is too orange”, “The background is the wrong colour”, “The Nose is too big”, “Head wrong shape”, “Eye highlights too much”, “Ears too big” and “Mustache looks stuck on”. Otherwise OK.
For Vincenzo’s portrait.
“Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes”, “The forehead is too wide”, “The skin colour is too orange”,  “The background is the wrong tone”,  “The Nose is too long”,  “Head wrong shape”, “Eye highlights are crazy”, “The ear is too big”,  “Mouth too low”, “Mouth on wrong angle” and “Neck too pronounced”. Otherwise OK.​

​The final portraits of Nestor and Vincenzo.

Cornwall - St Ives, Carbis Bay & St Michael’s Mount

This long drive from Sussex was inspired by nothing more than a chance to paint the Southern English seaside with it's beautiful quality of light.
In 1939, Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Naum Gabo settled in St Ives, attracted by its quiet beauty. In 1993 a branch of the Tate Gallery, the Tate St Ives, opened here. The Tate also looks after the Barbara Hepworth Museum and her sculpture garden.
I managed to complete several watercolours while I was there and progressed some of these to oil paintings when I returned home. Shown below is an oil painting I did of the magnificent cliffs at Carbis Bay.

London - The museums & galleries

The Courtauld Institute of Art, for the study of the history of art and conservation and is also home to one of the finest small art museums in the world.
The National Gallery, The Royal Academy of Arts and The National Portrait Gallery are just the beginning, then, of course there are the contemporary galleries to explore.
The White Cube in Mason’s Yard has exhibitions by high-profile artists such as Damien Hirst. During my visit his diamond encrusted skull was displayed for the first time, arguably his most provocative work, ‘For the Love of God’; a life-sized platinum cast of a human skull, covered entirely by 8,601 VVS to flawless pavé set diamonds. It had an (art historic) asking price of £50 million. I don’t think it ever sold.

I love the incredible choice London has to offer in regard to museums and galleries.​

London - Hulton Archive, Getty Images

As soon as I had dropped off my bags at the hotel I raced off to keep an appointment at Getty in North West London. The appointment was with the Vice President, Matt who gave me a tour of the facility that contains over 80 million images in the form of negatives, prints and transparencies. He also allowed me access into the "strong room" containing many original photographic treasures from artists such as Ansel Adams, Man Ray and Brassai.
Matt showed me signed model release forms by people such as Marilyn Monroe, Henry Fonda, Clark Gable and Errol Flynn. A stand out example was Greta Garbo consenting to let MGM transfer her rights in 1955. What an afternoon!

London - Slade School of Fine Art 2008

This summer course was all about 'Colour in Practice'.
To understand the many aspects of colour, this course explored the subject through lectures and seminars, practice and critiques. It interweaved aspects of colour science with colour practice to equip me with an in-depth knowledge of colour theory and its practical application. It helped me with creative decision making and increased my ability to realise the power of colour in my art practice.

The Slade School of Fine Art is concerned with contemporary art and the practice, history and theories that inform it. It approaches the study and practice of art in an investigative, experimental and research minded way.

Study trip to London - Sotheby’s Institute 2007

I attended summer school in London studying ‘European Decorative Art’, focusing on the 17th to 20th centuries, a very deep dive into object culture.
Beginning in the seventeenth century with the rise of the Baroque and culminating in Art Nouveau at the end of the nineteenth, this course provided a good understanding of key stylistic developments in Western European design and the decorative arts.
The course focused on furniture, ceramics, glass and metalwork, explored within the context of architecture and interiors and the broader historical and cultural forces that have influenced the production and consumption of decorative art objects. It sought also to provide students with a basic knowledge of materials and techniques.
As part of the course we were required to research and write two essays one thesis
and do a visual slide exam, I passed with a score of 87 percent (could have done better).

Study trip to Florence in 2006

My first trip to Florence was to attend the The Florence Academy of Art.
The Academy’s philosophy demands a return to discipline in art, to the direct study of nature and the Old Masters as the foundation for painting.
Their curriculum and teaching method derives from the classical-Realist tradition, rooted in the Renaissance and revived by the major Realist academic ateliers of the 19th century.

It was in the height of summer and there was no air conditioning​ of course. I lost five kilos in four weeks.