The Basilica of St Mary of Health (Italian: Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute), commonly known as the Salute, is a minor basilica which stands on a narrow finger of land between the Grand Canal and the Bacino di San Marco making the church visible from the Piazza San Marco.The church was designed in the then fashionable baroque style by Baldassare Longhena, and construction began in 1631.The dome of the Salute was an important addition to the Venice skyline and soon became emblematic of the city, inspiring artists like Canaletto, J. M. W. Turner and John Singer Sargent. A homàge to Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Wedding Feast, this painting is loosely based upon the National Trust's Stourhead Estate in Wiltshire. I remember as a small child seeing young calves with noses pressed hard against the red painted slats and my dad demonstrating how they would suckle if offered fingers instead of teats. I can't remember if I was brave enough to take up the challenge, but the event stuck in my mind. The north facing Cathedral door features an exact replica of the bronze Sanctuary Knocker. The original is normally part of the Cathedral Treasures display but was part of the Royal Academy's 'Bronze' exhibition during 2012. York Minster is one of the largest Gothic Cathedrals in Europe and is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second highest office of the Church of England. The Cathedral on a glittering winters day as viewed from The College The University Library had a major refit before exhibiting The Lindisfarne Gospels to great public acclaim in 2013. Opened in 1966 the Grade 1 listed structure designed by Sir Ove Arup, links the historic peninsular to Dunelm House on Old Elvet. The granddaughter of a close friend. Gondola stations adjacent to the Piazza San Marco, rarely observed without the tourist hoardes. One of the jewels of Oxford, the Clarendon was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and built between 1711 and 1713 to house the Oxford University Press. The building lies adjacent the Sheldonian Theatre which was designed by Hawkmoor's mentor and tutor Sir Christopher Wren. A scene reminiscent of Jan Bruegel's famous Hunters in The Snow. One of my all time favourite paintings. The ancient medieval arched entrance to the College an area behind the Cathedral which is the home of the clergy and the Chorister School. Part of the 2014 Durham Cathedral Exhibition. Membership of the Historic Houses Association does have it's benefits when you've nothing to do over a long weekend. The ancestral home of the Barnard family captured my imagination on a visit in 2017 and I could hardly wait to get it on paper once home.

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

This ancient centre of Durham City is the crossroads of Silver Street, Saddler Street and Claypath. The statue of Neptune which was originally erected in 1729 can just be observed behind the carousel.

Durham Market Square
Watercolour
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A former Cistercian Abbey near the market town of Helmsley, Rievaulx was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538. It's picturesque ruins are now a regional tourist attraction.

Rievaulx Abbey, North Yorkshire
Watercolour
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