The V&A's cast courts are one on the wonders of London. I spent an afternoon there and drew these: Brutus, by Michelangelo; Madonna and Child, also by Michelangelo; and a woman whose sculptor I forgot to note down, but who is French, 19th Century.

I was invited by my friend Nikki Clapp, who has a studio on the island, to show some drawings at the Eel Pie Island open weekend, 8-9th December. So here's the studio, with some of my drawings on display. One of the sales was the brown ink drawing of boats moored on the island that is here on the blog further down.

This is Lieut. Walter Richard Pollack Hamilton VC, who died in Kabul in 1879. Well, it's really a statue of him, in the National Army Museum in London, where it's hidden away almost as if they were embarrassed by it. 

These are the steps from Church Lane. Drawn on the spot, pen and watercolour.

This wreck of a boat is on the marshes at Blakeney, north Norfolk. It looks like it's been there for years, slowly merging with the mud.

This is one of two drawings of mine that have been shortlisted in a competition held by The Richmond Magazine. The other was Boats Moored at Eel Pie Island, posted on here earlier.
There's an online vote for 'the people's' choice, and mine and all the other shortlisted pictures can be seen here: https://www.essentialsurrey.co.uk/art-comp/

The river isn't just pretty, it's a working river. This floating crane was moored up at Twickenham for several days. On the day I drew it, I started when it was lying on the riverbed tilted an an angle, and when I finished the water was lapping over the embankment.

Drawn on the spot and worked up later. I liked the confusion of boats, in varying states of dilapidation, and the old cabin in the woods on the island.

Here we have two of Twickenham's famous Naked Ladies. They are part of a strange tableau in the gardens by the river, quite a surprise when you first come across them.  There's a local beer named after them: twickenham-fine-ales.co.uk/regulars/

There's an old boat winch somewhere in there. Now it's all arranged as a large garden ornament.

Drawn on the spot, on another cold day. It's a beautiful church, inside and out, a mix of medieval (the tower) and 18th century (the red brick nave).

That would be in Twickenham. Actually, it's on Eel Pie Island, and this is the view of it from the Twickenham shore.

Here is an unexpected trophy on the riverside: a shark's head. It's suspected to be plastic.

This, I was told, is the top of a trawler, converted to a house. It was brought up the river, craned onto the island (see the crane, below) and is now someone's home.

At least that's what my children called it, because of the elaborate metalwork around the windows. The entrance under the house leads to a large basin with many boats moored in it. It was a freezing day in December when I drew this.

Here's another from the series of Eel Pie Island drawings. This is an old crane which, despite looking derelict, is still in regular use for lifting boats, engines ... whatever is needed. 

This was a father and son fishing together, on a grey and dreary day in January. Mother, patiently hanging around waiting for them, liked the drawing so much she bought it.

Here are two drawings from the most powerful war memorial I know. It's at Hyde Park Corner, in London, where it stands surrounded by roaring traffic. It was designed by Charles Jagger, and was controversial in its day because it included a dead soldier hidden under his greatcoat.

This is a drawing done a couple of summers ago. It's a famous view of the Langdale Pikes, in the Lake District, seen from the shores of Elterwater.

Here's another from the Eel Pie Island series, a boat receiving attention in the boatyard.

Here's a pencil drawing of Perseus with the head of The Medusa. It's in the plaster casts gallery at the V&A, an extraordinary collection of famous and beautiful sculptures from all around Europe. This one is a bit gruesome, but it's striking how Perseus was portrayed as a fairly light-weight lad, rather the the muscle-bound super-heroes you some times see. The sculptor was Hubert Gerhard, who was Dutch, and lived in the late 16th/early 17th centuries.

This is a pencil drawing of one of the metopes - sculptures that decorated the Parthenon - in the British Museum. When drawing them you discover just how good their sculptors were.

I drew this some time ago, in the summer. It's the memorial to the Royal Marines, in The Mall, London. 

Here's another from the Eel Pie Island series. It's of some old machinery, looking hopelessly neglected, but in fact still used. Not sure anyone knows what's in the red drum.