Welcome to Nick's dining room table. (10 Viewers)

[Woody]

Grand re-entry with a stunning hoopy and legendary hydra, not to mention the Munch-like bunting.

Had a close look at your bee-eaters on Wednesday night, 'tis a great piece, so colourful and lively.

Mike

 

[colleenc]

Oh Nick so good to feast my eyes on your work again, like water after a drought

 

[RussB]

Wonderful Hoopoes, Nick. I have to admit I'm struggling to ID the background habitat, but you'll have to excuse my ignorance if it's something 'native'. It don't really matter, though, as the birds are superb.

Russ

 

[nickderry]

Wonderful Hoopoes, Nick. I have to admit I'm struggling to ID the background habitat, but you'll have to excuse my ignorance if it's something 'native'. It don't really matter, though, as the birds are superb.

Russ

The background is some ruined walls of Pompeii with bits of vines and all sorts growing through - I have to admit, I did get a little distracted thinking of pyroclastic flows, serpent frescoes and fire. We were lucky to be staying in a hotel right next to the main entrance, so we could stay right till closing time on a rather grey day, so not many tourists, which meant more birds.

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

Nick what can I say just drooling over the freedom of your pic's

 

[birdpotter]

Fantastic, Nick. I keep forgetting how inspiring your work is. Love, Love LOVE it!

 

[nickderry]

Back at work now, and already fed up! I've had to take on extra lessons to cover someone's sick leave and next week they're sending me out in a hire car to somewhere in the back of beyond - EEK! Timetable is all over the place and so I doubt I'll find much time for painting over the next few weeks, but I think that when I have too much time to paint, I fiddle more, when I know I have to bang a picture out in a limited time, I decide how to do it, do it and leave it.

My big sketching day in May didn't yield any paintings as I started working in a new job immediately after - time to change that I think! Here's a few, the redo of the stone curlews and whimbrel is quite clearly the result of leafing through David Bennett's "True to Form". There may be a scale issue with them as regards the whimbrel, but in the field these lanky, large-headed things looked so big and imposing that when I picked up another wader nearby, I was expecting it to be a redshank on size!

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

I love this blue period. great stuff Nick

 

[solitaryVSong]

but I think that when I have too much time to paint, I fiddle more, when I know I have to bang a picture out in a limited time, I decide how to do it, do it and leave it.

That's what these look like Nick, you decided how to do it, did it and left it. They are you at your best, inventive, fresh, direct. A great return to work and a real pleasure to see.

Having never seen a Stone Curlew, and only left scratching my head after seeing them in LJs guide, I can't begin to comment on the scale with them. I do know I've always thought that they must be very odd looking birds........

 

[colleenc]

I love this blue period. great stuff Nick

ditto! just like Picassso

 

[birdpotter]

Really love the freshness, Nick.

 

[phil baber]

Derry-Tastic!

Give up your day-job. Young fellow!

Extraordinarily BEAUTIFUL!

 

[username]

Blue or not blue...always brilliant.....!!

 

[RussB]

Hi Nick, You're certainly being influenced by Mr. Bennett with these fine efforts. I think you're work stands out, in one way, due to the lovely fluid lines you seem to use to capture the beast. I too have 'True to Form' and although not one of my favourite books ( I prefer something a little bit more 'neater' , but this time next year, who knows!) his ability to capture movement in both bird and mammal in convincing fashion is astounding.

You're next works certainly be interesting to see.

Russ

 

[nickderry]

Hi Nick, You're certainly being influenced by Mr. Bennett with these fine efforts. I think you're work stands out, in one way, due to the lovely fluid lines you seem to use to capture the beast. I too have 'True to Form' and although not one of my favourite books ( I prefer something a little bit more 'neater' , but this time next year, who knows!) his ability to capture movement in both bird and mammal in convincing fashion is astounding.

You're next works certainly be interesting to see.

Russ

I agree with you, the layout of the book makes it impossible to sit and enjoy, you have to keep turning the pages round pictures halfway across spines etc - luckily the illustrations for it are phenomenally good, I think I'm right in saying that Mr Bennett (artist - not Pride and Prejudice) has a photographic memory, which helps, whereas I can't remember where I put the diary I bought to help me to remember things.

 

[Lykos]

I can only say ...beautiful

this tone in tone finds painting I class


friendly greetings Gaby

 

[Dark Knight]

Hi Nick ithink these paintings are really great i especially like the stone curlew and whimbrel painting although they are both great :t:

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

Happy Birthday Nick , have a good day

 

[colleenc]

Is it your birthday? have a happy one....and BTW what artist is Mr Bennet referring to?

 

[nickderry]

thankyou for the birthday wishes, after a crap birthday of having to take the company car out to go to a lesson 'STRESS'! I'm making up for it now with restaurant and lots of wine. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

Mr Bennett is the very talented David Bennett - a superb wildlife artist from the UK who risks having his eyes stolen if I ever meet him!