This former palace, situated on
the hill below Prague Castle, is now the
Italian Embassy.
The painting is one of two shortlisted in the 2016 Sunday Times Watercolour Competition.

My wife and I have enjoyed two short breaks in Siena in recent years, attracted by the undeniably beauty of the architecture which surprises the visitor at every turn. Used primarily as a venue for special occassions associated with Durham University and as student accommodation, it is known to students simply as Castle.
Short summary of Durham Cathedral The centerpiece of this beautiful square is this fountain built in 1368 by Cansigorio della Scala, which is surmounted by a statue called Madonna Verona. The statue is in fact Roman dating to 380 AD. I was fascinated by this giant mechanism during a trip up the Thames in 2019. The medieval Elvet bridge built in 1160 by Bishop Hugh de Puiset. I wanted to paint this and the view of Elvet bridge from Prince Bishop's Car Park for ages and only their complexity put me off, though eventually I couldn't resist the challenge. This Venetian church which lies in the cestiere Cannaregio was founded in the 10th century. Part of the 2014 Durham Cathedral exhibition. Located at the West end of the Cathedral, it's design is heavily influenced by Islamic architecture. Stunning baroque architecture meets the eye around every corner in the beautiful city of Verona. This beautifully lit jug of sunflowers was sitting on the metal table depicted in a recent Owengate cafe painting. Although a departure from my normal subject material, the painting process gave great pleasure. And despite the obvious allure of the flowers themselves, my favourite passages are the rusty ends to the metalwork of the garden chairs. I always wondered what lay behind the imposing Castle Gatehouse. And so I sneaked into the courtyard one sunny afternoon in the hope of taking a few snaps for later use. I was quickly discovered by a security guard who after a gentle reprimand, escorted me back to the gate. This image was taken prior to shading in the figures. Those interested in purchasing should contact Stuart for an updated image.
The Baroque Church commonly known as Gesuiti was is said to be the work of Giovanni Battista Fattoretto, probably to a design by Domenico Rossi and was constructed on the orders of the aristocratic Manin family between 1715 and 1730.

Stuart Fisher Watercolours

Artist and award winning designer Stuart Fisher has exhibited his watercolour paintings across the region and as far south as Bath’s prestigious Rooksmoor Gallery. Shortly after his birth in Nuneaton Warwickshire in 1954, Stuart's parents moved to Peterlee New Town where he still lives today with his wife Anne.

Stuart believes that a large section of the art buying public are poorly served by the art market and are hungry for the return of traditional painting. He therefore specialises in the production of architectural watercolours within which he aims to imbue the atmospheric ambiance typical of Turner with the technical brilliance of his artistic hero, Sir William Russell Flint.

A career in architecture spanning almost 34 years culminated with his multi award winning design for Durham City's Science Learning Centre North East. This was followed in 2005 by what he terms 'an escape from the tyranny of the right angle' and the subsequent launch of his professional artistic career early in 2010





Original Watercolours for Sale

In reality this view is obscured by trees. The towers of the north transept would therefore not be visible without the judicious application of 'Artistic Licence'.

The Rose Window Durham Cathedral
Sepia watercolour over black ink.
Size: 395 x 290 mm, 610 x 495 mm o/a.
» More Info

St Mary's Anglican Church in the former Durham mining village of Horden celebrated it's centenary on Friday 26th of April 2013. The painting was commissioned by Reverend Father Kevin Smith and the Church Council to permanently mark the event and was unveiled by the Bishops of Jarrow and Beverley.

The Miners Cathedral.
watercolour
Size: (overall frame size 1000 x 800 mm high)
» More Info