HOME - Autumn/Winter 2024
Major update and overhaul to my clinky,clunky website coming soon, but hope you'll still enjoy looking at my pretty pictures!!!
Christmas Markets, Pantomimes, Sketching Workshops in Stamford and much more - details below!
From the Top of 55 Broadway in lovely London © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford/London
This wonderful view from the top of 55 Broadway in lovely London marked the start for me being artist in residence in summer 2024 at the former London Transport Building working with the Charity Integrity International Trust (IIT) and Blue Orchid Hospitality.
Coming back down to earth and to lovely Lincolnshire, here's another community-created, magical-movie-masterpiece we created in October half term on my scribble sketch 'Theatre on the wall' in Stamford Arts Centre. This celebrated 30 years of Cinema at the Arts Centre, with participants of all ages dropping in to sketch their favourite screen stars from Paddington and Pink Panther to Elsa and ET! Another FREE, fun fabulous family event with our wonderful host Stamford Arts Centre!
cinemas and sunny sunflowers! © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford and London
Be it cityscapes, cinemas or sunflowers, I love sketching and painting the world around me, sharing that with others, and getting them sketching too! So, when not out sketching the World, I lead sketching workshops! Mondays we're based at Stamford Arts Centre and Wednesdays at Mindspace – the marvellous mental health charity in Stamford.Wherever you are on your sketching journey, be it doubting doodler or a drawing diva, come and enjoy some soul soothing scribbling and sketching. See below under Events for further details.
Outside Stamford Town Hall © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford/London
As well as encouraging others to sketch, I also undertake some wonderful commissions, such as this recent painting of the Town Hall for the retiring Town Clerk. Sticking in Stamford and the Town Hall, I've just had confirmation that I will have a stall at the Christmas Market again, which is on Sunday 24th November from 10am -5pm - come and find me and say hello! I'll also have my 'pop-up' stall again on most Fridays up to Christmas at the brilliant Broad Street Market in Stamford, .... again come and say hello!
Stamford from First Drift © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford
The view above of Stamford from First Drift iwas another commission and is available as prints, cards, and as a limited edition canvas print and I'll have these with me on my 'pop-up' stall at those brilliant Broad Street Friday Markets, along with my other works from original paintings, canvases, prints, cards, books, bags and mugs - all great and very personal presents for this festive season.
Commission for Barnsdale Gardens
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford
Another unusual commission was the illustration above for the brilliant Barnsdale Gardens to celebrate its 40th Anniversary and the mugs and tea towels which are available in their Garden shop! A popular setting for BBC’s Gardeners’ World it’s a great place to visit – and get your mug and tea towel!!! And from mentioning Christmas to Cricket - Another delightfully diverse commission for a Charity Cricket Match again working with the Charity Integrity International Trust.
Charity Cricket Match - spot Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower fielding beyond the boundaries! © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford/London
So, as we approach the festive season, I'm delighted to say that two of my Stamfod paintings have been adapted to become the scenery for this year's Pantomime - Mother Goose - at Stamford Arts Centre... tickets available now - oh no they're not - OH YES THEY ARE! In our warring and worried World, may there be love, light and even a little laughter in your Land. Please do contact me if you'd like to talk about a commission or illustration project, or want more information about any of the above or just want to say hello! Continue below for more information on my forthcoming events and about 'me and my work'. You can also see what I'm up to on Facebook.
Who is the Artist, who is the Pantomime Dame?!
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford and London
EVENTS Winter 2024
• Stamford Christmas Market on Sunday 24th November 10am - 5pm location of my stall not yet known- will update when known!
• Mother Goose Pantomime at Stamford Arts Centre from 19th - 24th December - tickets out now!
• Stamford Sketching Workshops - contact me to join Monday morning sessions (10–12.30) - based at the Stamford Arts Centre . Cost is £15 per session - tea and biscuits included! I confirm sessions on the Friday before each session.
• Mindspace sketching sessions based at the Mindspace Hub on Broad Street. from 10am – 11.30am on alternate Wednesdays. Mindspace encourages the improvement of mental health & well-being for all in and around Stamford. Book here to join sessions. They are FREE, though a donation is always very welcome!
Angel detail, Peterborough Cathedral
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
View from Platform 1 of Blackfriars Station, London, June 2019
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
A wonderful commission from 2019 for Rules - the oldest restaurant in London, see Rules Restaurant’s new menu below.
Menu Illustration for Rules Restaurant, London, July 2019
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
View from the Top of Millbank Tower, London
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
There's more about 'me and my work' below and on the other pages, and from other perspectives, here are a couple of press articles from Wanderlust Travel Magazine, Frost magazine and The Culture Trip - though there is a slight error in that I never had time to see Downtown Abbey or Doctor Who - just Danger Mouse with my son!
Her late Majesty The Queen was the patron of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, now Churchill Fellowship. Being awarded a Fellowship not only enabled me to undertake a journey of a lifetime, it also opened so many doors to wonderful opportunities in my subsequent work. Churchill Fellowship applications open annually around September each year and categories are always changing, so if you are a British Citizen and passionate about your subject- it could be for you!
Reception at Buckingham Palace on March 18th 2015 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sir Winston's living legacy - the Churchill Fellowship
Karen Neale Art: 'Me and my Work'
That's me braving the winds racing across Waterloo Bridge. My passion is sketching and painting the world around me in my annotated sketchbook diaries. I stand ‘in situ’ and draw with an ordinary black biro as much as I can of what is going on around me in my book. Then, I add colour with my small field box of watercolours. The notes I make around the perimeter are observations I’ve made whilst I’ve been sketching. It is a great privilege and pleasure to simply spend time in a place and draw, and it is a wonderful way to get to know a place and its people.
San Gimignano,Italy
© Karen Neale, Watercolour Artist London
Avignon, France,
© Karen Neale, Watercolour Artist London
Havana,Cuba © Karen Neale, World heritage artist London
Closer to home I continued the World Heritage theme with a community project along Hadrian’s Wall. Then in London, I was privileged to sketch in and around the Palace of Westminster and was artist in residence at the Athenaeum Club in 2004. Rather auspiciously I was appointed ‘MCC Young Cricket Artist for 2005’, based at Lord’s Cricket Ground, and subsequently artist in residence at The Queen’s Club for the 2007 tennis season.
Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, © Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
please click on the image below to see a larger picture
The Old Highbury Ground, Arsenal, London © Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
please click on the image below to see a larger picture
In October 2006 my first London sketchbook diary was published by Methuen, entitled ‘London in Landscape’ with Winston Churchill’s daughter, Lady Soames generously writing the foreword. In 2009 ‘London in Landscape Volume II’ was launched with an exhibition of my paintings in the Barbican Centre, London. Both books are available through Methuen, Amazon, and me. Since 2010 I have resided in Stamford in Lovely Lincolnshire. In 2011, Walkers, Stamford’s local bookshop published my Stamford sketchbook. And now in 2015 A Fellow Traveller!
Broad Street Market from Browne's Hospital on Market Day, Stamford
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
These books have been a real labour of love for me as I’ve been out in all weathers, on tops of buildings, along the streets, in various wonderful institutions, sports grounds, churches and cathedrals, markets, museums and so on. It is an utterly uplifting experience to be able to just sit and draw in a place and become a part of that place for a few hours. If you would like to contact me for further information, please click here to e-mail or call me on
07710 406967
I hope you enjoy looking around the website!
Karen Neale Art
Watercolour Artist London and Stamford.
World Heritage Artist, London
