HOME - Spring 2026
Major update and overhaul to my clinky, clunky website coming soon, but hope you'll still enjoy looking at my pretty pictures!!!
Exquisite Exhibitions, Wonderful Workshops and more - details below!
Skyline Surfing From the Top of the Rock, New York © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford/London
I hope this finds you well. Do come and join me at the SGFA annual exhibition 9th - 14th March at the Mall Galleries in London. Find my painting 'Skyline Surfing from the Top of the Rock' amongst some awesome art by amazing SGFA artists. Find me on the 12th March leading two drop-in sketching workshops 12.30 – 2 and then 2-4pm ......they're FREE, so dig out your sketchbook and pen (an old envelope and that old chewed pencil will do too) and let's get drawing! Some soul soothing sketching in a great location, surrounded by an exquisite exhibition makes for a great day out!
Spot the Blonde Beet on St. Paul's Street, Stamford © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford and London
Delightful daffodils! © Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
Maybe it is just me but I’m scrabbling to shake off this wet winter with its relentless rain. Swiftly scribbling a few daffodils as demonstrations in my regular sketching workshop in the last week or so, gives me a little hope that happier days are on the horizon. Through the workshops I see how positive the process of doodling and drawing can be for mental health and general well-being of participants (and not just for me)! So, in addition to my regular sketching workshops in Stamford on Mondays at the Stamford Arts Centre and every other Wednesday at the Mindspace Hub, there will also be another session at the Blonde Beet Cafe on the 19th March, and hopefully these will become a monthly event.
Brilliant Broad Street Market, Stamford © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford/London
I've also been braving it back out on my pop up stall (or as I see it my open air gallery) either on the fabulous Friday market on brilliant Broad street (see above) or as for the last couple of weeks on Saturdays along the High Street. I confirm if, when and where I am on Facebook a day or so before.
London Sports Festival Opening at the Guildhall in London in May! © Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford/London
In London, it has been a joy to continue as ‘artist in residence’ at 55 Broadway, working with the Charity Integrity International Trust (IIT) and Blue Orchid Hospitality. Linking with Central London Alliance (CLA) it was a jumping joy to sketch the launch of the London Sports Festival at the Guildhall Yard last May - brilliant buildings, awesome art, and stellar sport! This fabulous Free festival ran throughout the summer, so look out for this next year in various London locations for more mindful motivation!
And here’s me in a happy halcyon haze one day last summer in New York practicing what I preach in process of the original sketchin NY. I love the unintentional complement of the starry spires of Stamford on my bag with the soaring skyscrapers of NY! Wherever you are in the World I hope that Spring and inspiration are with you. As ever, do contact me if you'd like to talk about a commission or illustration project, purchase any of my work, want more information about any of the above, or just want to say hello, it's always good to hear from you!
Me at the top of the Rock! © Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
© Karen Neale, watercolour artist Stamford and London
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.
EVENTS Spring 2026
• SGFA Annual exhibition at The Mall Galleries – 9th - 14th March 2026 – I’m there Thursday 12th March leading 2 workshops 12.30- 2pm and then 2-4pm. They’re FREE – join me!
• Sketching Workshop at the Blonde Beet - 9.30 – 11am, 19th March 2026 - contact me for further information.
• 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 Red Lion Street. from 10am – 11.30am on alternate Wednesdays. 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
I’ve kept sketchbooks since leaving school, throughout my architectural studies at Newcastle and Sheffield Universities, subsequent move to London and eventual qualification as an architect in 1999. My sketchbooks have taken me on some wonderful adventures. In 2001 I was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake an artist’s journey inspired by World Heritage Cities and Sites, from France travelling eastwards through eight countries to Nepal, recording it all in the pages of my sketchbook diary. Subsequently I spent time in Cuba, culminating in a solo exhibition of my work at the British Ambassador’s residence in Havana.
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
I’ve had some fabulous commissions. In 2006 The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust commissioned me to produce a painting to present to Her Majesty the Queen. I’ve also worked with Bob Wilson’s charity, The Willow Foundation, sketching in and around Arsenal’s football stadiums.
The Old Highbury Ground, Arsenal, London © Karen Neale, watercolour artist London
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
please click on the image above to see a larger picture
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
