Bailey seems to have settled in.

  It's not quite 6 months since we brought Bailey home from the Dogs Trust. Where has the time gone? He is a much admired dog, some even say handsome but that only mades him big-headed! lol. He is responding well to training especially once he cottoned on as to who was really the boss. He has ticked off quite a few Wainwrights on some big days on the hills but as yet we have still failed to tire him out. Compared to when we first got him he has put some weight on but I don't think we are ever going to have a fat dog here.

 Most importantly and the question we get asked most often is "how does he get on with Zeta?" The photo below speaks for itself.

Yes, that is Bailey lying directly across Zeta's neck as she is sleeping! He often takes the liberty of lying or sitting on her, most of the time she just puts up with it but every now and then she tells him enough is enough. Nothing agressive, just ensuring that the "pecking order" remains intact.

Summer colours

  I have just spent a bit of time giving the front of the gallery a touch-up on the paintwork. Thankfully not much needed doing but it was a good time to attend to the job as I was just about to put up the hanging baskets for the summer. These sort of tasks at the gallery dont directly bring in customers but with such a prominent location within the town of barnard Castle it would be a shame not to make the most of our position. Many visitors take photos of the Market Cross and if they think that including The Teesdale Gallery in the composition makes for a better picture then I'm happy with that!

Feeling Sheepish!

Another new artist for the gallery. This time a collection of work from Midlands based artist, Garry Jones. We met Garry recently at a trade show and just loved his work, it really brings a smile to your face. His ceramic animals are all hand-made and his sense of humour really comes through in his work.

"Ewe and Me"

It will take me a couple of days to get the new stock photographed and put on the website but it will be well worth taking a look at sometime.

Hot off the easel.

  After a busy period of sketching and painting recently I was a bit under presssure to complete a couple of fells for the Wainwrights in Colour project. One of my customers happened to be having a short stay up in The Lakes and as he lives down in the south of the country I thought it would be a good opportunity to finish his purchased fells and deliver them whilst he was up here. I was hoping that the painting would go according to plan (one sketch recently took me 3 attempts to get it right.) Luckily the paintings worked out and I was able to complete the fells, frame them up and deliver them over to the customer all on the same day.

Buckbarrow.

Swarthbeck Gill, Arthur's Pike.

There was an added bonus to doing this delivery though, an enjoyable evening was had with our friends at The Britannia Inn, Elterwater. Altogether a great trip.

Overnight on Haystacks

I took the opportunity yesterday to have a "wildcamp" over on the Lakeland Fells. There are plenty of places to go but I opted for a location which would not only enable me to capture some more references but also provide some great views at the end of the day. At this time of the year the sun sets almost along the length of the Buttermere valley so I headed for an ascent of Fleetwith Pike. The weather was perfect and a I was fortunate to watch beautiful sunset as I walked round to my camping site on Haystacks.

Sunset on Fleetwith Pike.

The next day was meant to one of a long walk over Great Gable but unforunately low cloud hung over the tops of the western fells so I had to make alternative plans for the day. It was still a great day to be out on the hills. The photos are now online: http://www.theteesdalegallery.co.uk/

Gallery on TV

 Today was the day for the airing of the programme "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" in which the gallery (and me of course) appeared on TV.

Last Autumn when the film crew were in town it took several hours of filming in the gallery to get what ended up as just a couple minutes or required footage. Zeta even gets her moment of fame but took it all in her stride by sleeping in her basket!

 Later in the programme we make an aopperance in the Bowes Museum as part of the "crowd scene" at the auction. All good fun and nothing like a free plug on TV!

Andy and David Harper seal the deal!

Sketching at full speed

Work continues at pace for the Wainwrights in Colour project. With the recent good weather it has been tempting to head over to the hills to get more walking done but the rucksack sits quietly in the corner. My priority at this time is to complete more of the fells in painitngs before I hatch some plan to get up onto the fells to obtain some of the missing references that I need.

                                             

Arthur's Pike.

Ullswater from the Howtown Path.

Cats in numbers

Another delivery of new stock today, this time all the way from Cornwall. The quirky pottery animals from the studio of Jane Adams have always been popular here at The Teesdale Gallery and it was great to open the bowes to see what was inside.

Pottery cats.

As well as the cats, Jane also sent a selection of sheep, cows and hares. I will hope to get all the new stock on the website shortly but there is no doubt they will make you smile.

Short visit to Swaledale

Every now and then I get chance to head "over the valley" out of Teesdale and into Swaledale. Today the excuse was that I had a bit of business to conduct over there so I used my visit to take the dogs on a couple of short walks in the area.

Upper Swaledale.

It was also a good time to take a look at some of the wonderful wildflower meadows near Muker. These fields are mamaged so that they support the large variety of plants which bring colour to these meadows. I was just a bit early to see them at their best but it was still worth a look. Photos are now online at: http://www.theteesdalegallery.co.uk/

Wainwright's First Big Day.

Following on from the previous days celebrations to mark the 80th  anniversary of AW's trip to Orrest Head, I considered that it would be interesting to follow up that day by re-tracing his steps for what would have been his first ever venture up on to the high lakeland fells. After resting the night in Windermere, AW and his cousin set off on the morning of 8th June 1930 to walk from Windermere to Pooley Bridge. So it was that 80 years on I would follow his route.

Thornthwaite Crag, this was to be AW's very first lakeland fell summit. The route for the day basically followed the High Street ridge, his day was in better weather, for me it rained most of the time.

Many miles later we ended up here at the Crown Inn, Pooley Bridge where in 1930 AW and his cousin spent the night before continuing their walking tour of the fells. For me it was an interesting day to follow in the footsteps of the man whose later work has been so important to me recently. The full album of photographs for the day are online at: http://www.theteesdalegallery.co.uk/

80th Anniversary Celebrations

7th June was the day in 1930 that Alfred Wainwright and his cousin Eric Beardsall rode the bus from their home town, Blackburn in Lancashire to Windermere in the Lake District. The walking holiday that followed would change AW's life forever. To mark this special occasion The Wainwright Society organised a full day of events to re-trace AW's trip to the fells. After an initial meet-up at Windermere we were transported by modern coach to Blackburn from where we set out in classic coaches to re-enact the journey.

Dressed in period costume we ventured forth changing buses at Preston and stopping for tea at the Midland Hotel, Morcambe before alighting at Windermere. Just as AW did we then took the short walk up to Orrest Head.

Just as in 1930 the sun shone and the distant fells were on full show. A few short speeches and a photo call and then down to Windermere for tea. A fine way to celebrate this day. To see the full album of photos visit the website: http://www.theteesdalegallery.co.uk/ and go to the "On Location page" where the webpage can be found for this event.

Ticking off the Fells

  It seems a while since I had a good day out on the Lake District Fells, something which I hope to put right in the next few days. The lack of walking is purely down to the fact that I have been so busy in the studio getting work done for the Wainwrights in Colour project. The fells are now getting completed at a reasonable rate with a good "first time" success on most of the sketches, seldom do they get scrapped and put in the bin.

Seatallan from below Scoat Tarn.

However, one or two sketches have caused some problems like this one below of Arnison Crag. For no particular reason the first two attempts at this scene I just wasn't happy with but fortunately the third go came out right so now it is framed with the other sketches for this fell and is just awaiting collection by the customer.

Arnison Crag from Keldas