Welcome!
After much deliberation and discussion with my nearest and dearest, I have decided to create a second website. This new site will home my work combining illustration, lettering and gold leaf (in varying proportions!). My wildlife art is happily settled on www.toniwatts.com and will remain there.
This new space will be the home for a blog about art, history and how one influences the other as well being somewhere you can see my recent work.
We live in a village that was mentioned in the Domesday Book (although it dates back to Roman times, if not earlier). Thirteen miles away is the city of Lincoln with its beautiful gothic cathedral, and we have a Knights Templar site just a hop, skip and a jump away. We also enjoy the occasional weekend in Cumbria, which has its own share of medieval and Roman history, as well as strong links to the Arts and Crafts movement.
Lincoln Cathedral from Castle Hill
My long-standing interest in traditional art techniques continues, and I will share the trials and tribulations of working with skills handed down from the fifteenth century. 2014 will see me learning about transforming rocks, roots and berries into pigments, and developing my calligraphy skills with the aid of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators. No doubt both will influence my practice, and I look forward to sharing the results with you.
It’s great to see you here – do pop back and visit from time to time!