Ann’s Journal

I have just got back from a trip to Morocco. I have been several times before and we decided to explore a different area. Chefchaouen, in the Rif mountains, is a paradise for artists- but also for  everyone else! In picturesque places like this I make myself see past...

I have been keeping my eyes open  in recent years and question whether the emphasis in many art books and workshops has swung too far towards technique and use of materials and away from the essential act of making meaningful and personal interpretations. Of course,...

I have recently returned from a rewarding trip to Exmoor where I joined a group of like-minded artists. We sketched, photographed or painted on our own during the day according to our interests, and met up in the evening at local pubs to compare notes and relax....

After the  hectic events  this year I needed a break and we have just  spent a few days  on Dartmoor. Walks through moorland, ancient woodland,  gushing rivers, ferns, lichen, moss- it's a painter's heaven. But not just that- in three days we met so many interesting ,...

  I thought  I was the butterfly fluttering against  the pane to seek an opening through and hide  my deckle edged wings among spotted  ragged leaves in a tangled land  of bramble I thought I was the moth- a kind of butterfly goth, strange outlier of the night,...

I am thrilled to be sharing with you the news that I have just been elected a member of the RI. This has been a life long ambition of mine and I feel deeply honoured to have been accepted into such a prestigious group of diverse and excellent painters. I am really...

The time has come for me to share my big secret- I have recently compiled another book!   It is with huge pride that I can announce that my publishers commissioned me to write a long overdue  book about the life and paintings of my  late father G. John Blockley  RI PS...

Just got back from the foothills of the Himalayas walking from village to village. It was a fascinating and humbling experience staying in simple village houses often without electricity or hot water. The walking was challenging  but the  stunning scenery and plants ...

I am really pleased that I have had 3 paintings accepted for the annual RI exhibition this year. I have not submitted paintings for a few years due to other commitments so am thrilled to be back! The paintings are all  part of a set of  images that I made as an...

Overnight the apple tree seems to have bloomed with a froth of wintry frozen blossom.  Clusters and clots of white snow cling to each frail twig. A blackbird hops among these crystalline bouquets hoping to find  frosted fruit. Earlier the sun was a mere pale milky...

    I have gone into mad mode. I call it that but really it’s a kind of creative whirlwind! This time of year always sends me into a frenzy of activity and my studio is chaotic. Vivid paintings, half- finished works,  experiments, scraps of colour,...

I have just handed over the artwork and text for a new book. It has taken ages to put together because for various reasons I  have done a lot of the decision making and  designing myself and it has proved to be a more complicated book than usual ( but in a good way I...