Not the best shot, but here is what i'm currently working on - i'm not getting many chances to draw at the moment, with shows, the gallery, and supplying all the new galleries with work.

I'll hopefully get back to this some time next week!

Finally got the signs up!

A few shots of the gallery as it's gradually taking shape.  I'm hoping to finally be able to open the doors to the public tomorrow!!

THE GALLERY!!

So a slight change of plan....  THIS will now be 'The Nolon Stacey Gallery & Studio'.

It is located at 'The Reeth Dales Centre' in the Yorkshire Dales village of Reeth in Swaledale.  As you can see from the photo, it's not a bad spot!!

This space is 4-times the size of the previous place we considered, so plenty big enough for a gallery AND studio/work space.

The lease is signed, the furniture/hanging systems/ etc, have all been bought, and we should be collecting the keys next Tuesday.  Unfortunately, i'm then off for a 4-day show Friday to Monday, so i'm not sure when we will officially open!

Lying Hare Sketch

Another quick sketch while waiting for a delivery of larger watercolour paper.  I hadn't realised that I had run out, so was all ready to begin my next drawing, went to dig out a sheet of paper but they were all too small - big enough for this little fella though!  Framed size 14x11"

'Curlew' complete

'Curlew'
Size approx 11.5x15.5"

The Curlew is finally complete.  Having started this piece back in November, and then ignoring it for over 2 months, it's been a long time coming.

Again, apologies for the phone photo - I will scan it when it's complete.

I'm still working away at the never ending feathers, going one at a time.  I've now mapped them all out, so it's literally a case of moving from one to the other until they are all present and accounted for.  I will adjust the tone across the body once they are all complete.

Hoping to finish this today, but we'll see.

Not a hare!

I haven't had time to get a good scan of the progress of this piece, so i'm afraid it's a dodgy iPhone photo.

I thought it was time that I got back to the Curlew.  These feathers are already driving me a little crazy, so i'm not sure that i'll finish it before moving onto something else.  We'll see how the next couple of days go.

Boxing Hares Sketch

'Boxing Hares' - Sketch

Another quick sketch, size approx 11x8".  This was an idea for a drawing that was eventually replaced by the boxing hares in a more upright, portrait orientation drawing that I completed last year.  

Back to full size drawings now!!

Last of the Limited Edition

'Hare Study'

Well I thought this limited edition print of 500 had sold out, but I have just collected some prints from a gallery that has closed down and they had one left!

So here is THE LAST PRINT of this edition - The first of all my hare drawings, mounted and framed in a solid oak frame (frame size 16x20").

Anyone who missed out on this print and is interested, just let me know (collection only though, due to the frame and glass!)

SORRY.  NOW SOLD!!

Sketches

 I just thought i'd share some sketches with you.

For every completed drawing, there are probably 4 or 5 sketches drawn - normally these are drawn on cheap printer paper and thrown away once i'm done with them (or sometimes even given to children at shows to colour in!).  Some of them never make it to the 50-hour drawing board, like the sketch on the left.








I've always wondered if I could do anything with these sketches, so the last two I did, I made sure they were on my usual quality drawing paper and I spent a little extra time on them than is normally necessary (they are usually only used to give me an idea of composition and how I plan to tackle the full drawing) - probably an hour each, rather than the 50 hours for a full drawing.

Anyway, here are two of them, both image size around 8x10".  I thought i'd frame one to see how it looked.

'Crouching Hare'

'Crouching Hare'
Size approx 30x40cm

Hare number 3 of the year is now complete.  May need a bit of tweaking but it's pretty much there (I can see that I need to adjust the scan a little). 

Maybe something different next... a Hare maybe??

'Running Hare'

'Running Hare' - size approx 30x40cm

NOW SOLD

Hare number 2 of the year is now complete - assuming I don't fiddle with it anymore!

Do I continue with the hares, or do I take a break?  Maybe one more!!

Another Hare

Here is hare number 2 for 2012.  I've gone for a slightly different feel to the background/foreground with this one.  Almost given it a watercolour look - no idea why, it just kind of happened!

I hope to have this complete within the next 2 days.

Hare - 'Alert'
Size approx 30x40cm

Just finished this one.  Something I wouldn't recommend doing, but you may notice that I have completely changed the light source from the last upload. I had actually finished the drawing before deciding it needed something else - added an extra 2 hours or so to the job, but there you go!!
NOW SOLD

New work for 2012

This time of year always gives me plenty (actually, a little too much) drawing time - the shows don't tend to kick in until Easter, so it's time to get scribbling!

I thought i'd post some of the initial sketches of planned drawings.  I'm in the mood for a bit of a Hare blitz, so here are 4 planned hare drawings.  They are not the best scans, but should give an idea of the feel and pose of each piece (you'll notice that even when sketching, I can't help but add more detail to the eyes than is necessary for a sketch!!)

I receive more enquiries for hare originals than anything else and, as my hare originals sell very quickly, I never have them for very long.  So anyone out there interested in any of these, even at this early stage, let me know and I can always give more details and first refusal on the finished piece.

Hare 1

Hare 2

Hare 3

Hare 4

Curlew

I actually started this Curlew drawing at the beginning of November, but haven't touched it since.  This was a demonstration piece for a show, but I got very little drawn.

Once new year is out of the way, i'll get back to this before throwing myself into quite a few new drawings.

Xmas Shows

I'm now 15 days down with 10 to go of the York Christmas Shows.  The weather seems to be getting colder, which isn't great when you're in a marquee, but compared to last year, it feels like summer!

For any of you in the area, I am in the Made In Yorkshire marquee on St Sampson's Square, just outside Browns.  I'll be exhibiting there until the 18th Dec.

Strutting Sussex

'Strutting Sussex'
Image size 16x10"

The last of 6 originals off to the Masham Arts Festival Exhibition completed this afternoon and quickly mounted and framed to take for hanging tomorrow. 

The exhibition runs from Friday 21st until Sunday 30th October.  For details see www.facebook.com/pages/Masham-Arts-Festival

Summer Swaledales

size approx 16.5" x 10"

Finished these local Swaledales this weekend.  I'm framing this as we speak and they will be off to the Masham Arts Festival Exhibition which begins this Friday (a bit worrying as I have another drawing to get done in time!).