Roman Fresco

I finished my Roman Fresco mural yesterday. It is a reproduction of a fresco found in The Villa of Agrippa Postumus in a settlement on the southern slopes of Mount Vesuvius, north of Pompeii.



As usual my favourite part of the work was adding the cracks and aging effects. I was also pleased that I managed to paint this within the four day window that I allowed myself - all my speed painting on 'DIY SOS' and '60 Minute Makeover' is paying off : )

DIY SOS

It has finally appeared on the TV after such a long wait and it proved beyond reasonable doubt that I can dance as well as paint :)



The trompe l'oeil mural is a generic view of Provence with my favourite louver shutters (& a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape).

The week before I was filmed for this show I did a trial run of the mural at home just to make sure I could do it within the time frame. I also filmed myself painting the trial mural as well and the video can be seen on my website and YouTube page (just follow the links on the left).

It doesn't seem possible that this was filmed 14 months ago. Not bad for two days work though - although they were very long days !

Roman Fresco

I am now three days into my Roman fresco mural.



After building up the tones in mono I have now added some colour - next I will give it an aged finish.

Roman Fresco

Here is a photo of a project that I am currently one day into. It will be the recreation of an aged Roman fresco - complete with some subtle cracks and pits on the surface.



It is being painted in a large bathroom on the wall above the bath - as usual I start of fairly monotone before gradually adding the colour. The look of the fresco has a very fluid feel as it would have originally been painted very quickly (before the plaster had gone off).

DIY SOS

It has taken a while for this one to appear on our screens (14 months to be precise) but the DIY SOS show I was involved with up in sunny Norfolk in May last year will be on BBC1 on Friday 23rd July at 7:30pm.

I will of course post up some photos once the show has aired.

Our Mum

We were finally able to say our goodbyes to mum yesterday. I am sure that she would have approved of the send-off we gave her - and may have even laughed at some of the jokes in my eulogy to her.

I know in my heart that she would have loved my short reading from her favourite childhood book, 'The Wind in the Willows'.

My brother Graham's eulogy to her was also very moving and recalled aspects of Mum's life and her larger-than-life personality.

The service was conducted by Reverend Stephen Robertson of St. Margaret's Church, Downham, Essex and Mum's ashes are to be interred here in with my father and brother.

It was wonderful to meet up with the all the extended family again, despite the sadness of the occasion. It was also heartening to realise just how much mum was loved by all.

We all love and miss you Mum.

x x