Going through the plans chest i came across this lovely Frank Beanland from the mid 90's. Inspired by his love of St Ives it demonstrates Frank's wonderful use of colour to represent land and sea.

Sadly Frank died earlier this year. A great loss to the art world.

I visited the Picasso and Paper exhibition at the RA last week. It was probably one of the most exciting exhibitions I have ever experienced. Vast quantities of wonderful images, some I have seen before and others that were completely new to me.

This image is a perfect example of a belief I have held since the beginning of my career, that a great picture can be enhanced by perfect framing.

Picasso on Paper runs at the RA until 13th April 2020

Another troublesome example of a great German(?) etching - but can I read the signature?

An interesting little drawing came in yesterday dated 1945. Two characters, a devil and a clown, from the Strauss operetta Eine Nacht in Venedig (A Night in Venice) which played at the Cambridge Theatre, London in 1944. A fascinating little drawing and, as usual, unsigned! The Art world can be so frustrating!

Such an unusual and interesting sculptural piece by Bill Belcher who made art in boxes. This 1966 example is called Belfry and is very different to his usual work due to it's large size. Black is such a great colour and very en vogue in the world of interiors at the moment.

Still life come in many shapes and forms. But rarely have a seen one of playing cards. After much discussion we have decided this oil by Bill Belcher must be depicting a hand in progress at a poker table. Unless anyone knows any different?

I recently purchased 3 Japanese paintings sold to me as woodblocks but they are clearly pencil with colour wash added over the top. They look late 20th Century, perhaps 60's or 70's or even perhaps a little later. Yet again my lack of Japanese language holds me back identifying who this artist is, but I'm working on it!

Heavy Night? Not at all. This fabulous oil by Theodore Ribot dates is a picture of a Laudanum Den.

Are books about art still relevant? You would have thought not with so much information now available on the internet but I recently purchased a somewhat dirty oil painting by Anne Florence Cointreau dated 1934. The Google page gave me just one short reference that she lived 1890-1966. That was it.

This fabulous 1950's expressionist beach scene is by Tony Bartl, a Czech refugee who came to England in 1947. He was heavily influenced by expressionist painters of the inter war period. His work is held by Lincoln Art Gallery,