Roofscape, Balemartine
Contented cattle grazed peacefully as thrushes, starlings and lapwing explored their grazing, undisturbed by throngs of people
or traffic.… Continue reading Roofscape, Balemartine
Balemartine, Tiree
The humblest row of one-up/one-down cottages can become a thing of breathtaking beauty.… Continue reading Balemartine, Tiree

Spotty House 1, Balephetrish
A brief sketch of the ‘Spotty House’ at Balephetrish, Tiree, as seen from below. The roadside undergrowth here is spectacular – lots of interesting painting material for a future visit!… Continue reading Spotty House 1, Balephetrish
Pudding and Plain
Mairi Hedderwick, in her book “An Eye on the Hebrides”, uses this lovely term “Pudding and Plain” when describing some of the vernacular architecture of Tiree.… Continue reading Pudding and Plain
Spotty House 3, Balephetrish
I’ve been drawing in pen and ink ever since I was at school, and it really is a marvellous discipline besides having some special qualities of its own as a medium.… Continue reading Spotty House 3, Balephetrish
Henderson’s Cottage, Balemartine
Greatly pleased with my first sketch of the day just around the corner, on the lovely Inner Hebridean island of Tiree, I soon decided I liked the shapes presented by this cottage view so sat down on the grass verge to work once again.… Continue reading Henderson’s Cottage, Balemartine
Drovers Cottage, Tiree
I stayed in this delightful croft conversion a few times, enjoying the peace and views over the wild landscape around.… Continue reading Drovers Cottage, Tiree
Old Farmhouse, Balephetrish
My plan was to develop a technique whereby I could work quite quickly to record my ideas for representing the unique atmosphere of the island. … Continue reading Old Farmhouse, Balephetrish
Island Sheep, Balephetrish
After a long spell on the boat our spaniel was thoroughly enjoying himself , stretching his legs and having a good sniff around, but kept safely away from new calves and their mothers, not far away across the field.… Continue reading Island Sheep, Balephetrish
Balinoe Turn, Tiree
That morning the break in the weather was unexpected, however, so I was a bit late starting, and the offer of a lift to my destination was especially welcome, as I knew exactly where I wanted to work, the light having been wonderful for days!… Continue reading Balinoe Turn, Tiree
Spotty House 2, Balephetrish
This ‘mixed media’ sketch may not reach the degrees of experimentation described in the Tate article, but it was interesting to enjoy the extra dimension brought by the simple addition in gouache of a richly coloured sky to my pen drawing.… Continue reading Spotty House 2, Balephetrish
Balemartine from Balephuil Turn
I’m always on the lookout for Materials and techniques to extend and improve my mark making, so to learn from such an accomplished Plein Air artist is a great opportunity!… Continue reading Balemartine from Balephuil Turn
Sheep, Scarinish
I rather like the peacefulness engendered by this typical scene, and actually find the process of quietly watching the daily routine of these placid beasts quite fascinating!… Continue reading Sheep, Scarinish
Morning Roaming
Cattle management on Tiree is a fascinating subject to explore, and watching groups of cattle on their daily roaming along the dunes road at Balephetrish was most enjoyable to me.… Continue reading Morning Roaming

Oat Stooks
It was a lovely series of shapes, which certainly merited my whipping out a sketchbook to get something down on paper.… Continue reading Oat Stooks
Smithy Cottage, Scarinish
Now one of the things I should do is to find out about the history of Smithy Cottage, particularly as it holds such a prominent position on an island so rich in history.… Continue reading Smithy Cottage, Scarinish
Island Sheep, Balephetrish (2)
To me it’s a kind of heaven to enjoy coffee and toast in the early morning while watching the sun sparkle on the incoming tide!… Continue reading Island Sheep, Balephetrish (2)
The Blue Roof
Tiree was our first encounter with the lovely Western Isles in Scotland, and to me this image evokes some of the unique atmosphere of the island. BUY THIS IMAGE All images on this website can be purchased as prints, and most are also available as cards. My shop is currently under construction, so… Continue reading The Blue Roof
The Willows
I always enjoy seeing this handsome house once again when visiting Tiree.… Continue reading The Willows