An eclectic mix of oil painting themes

 ‘Sunday cricket, Royal Hospital Park – Chelsea’ by David Pilgrim ROI 8x16in, oil on board - £975

 ‘Moorings at Blakeney’ by David Pilgrim ROI 8x10in, oil on board - £795

 'Poppy Pathway' by Terry Grundy 29 x 29 cm oil on board framed £535

 'In the Still Morning' by Stephen Hawkins 39 x 29 cm oil on board framed £795

'On Our Way' by Stephen Hawkins 29 x 19 cm oil on board framed £495

'Chelsea' and 'Lady Leicester' by Dawn Russell oil on canvas 500 x 500mm £600 each
Seascapes float mounted on white and framed in blue various £97 each


 Now available to view at Skills Art Materials 18 High Street Stony Stratford MK11 1AF

New online gallery

Skills are excited to introduce the new online gallery shop as part of the website make over for 2018.  Now you won't have to worry about your favourite painting being purchased by another shopper and we are adding new pieces which have not yet been displayed in the High Street Gallery.  Now you can visit the shop anytime you like to view our latest collection.

Pick n Mix of Fine Art ~ Which is your favourite?

The wind that blows the barley ~
Eleanor McGowan is a Scottish artist who works from her home in Largs, Ayrshire.  She is an elected member of the Paisley Arts Institute and Glasgow Society of Women Artists.  She is a regular exhibitor in many popular UK Galleries.

Shaggy Sheep and The Colonel ~
Lucy Pittaway studied Art & Design at college, before taking a place at Northumbria University to read Graphic Design where she developed her skills in digital art, photography and mixed media.
After graduating Lucy took a gap year and ran her own business in creative crafts, before pursuing a career in Graphic Design. After two years as a Graphic Designer she was offered a teaching role at the college where she had previously studied- she claims to have learnt as much during that period as she did whilst she was a student! Like many teachers she was given generous holidays and spent as much of that time as possible drawing and creating canvases that were sold to various clientelle in the Uk and Europe.
As time progressed, Lucy came to the conclusion that she enjoyed creating her own paintings and drawings far more than teaching, so gave up teaching to pursue her lifetime passion to become an artist.

Solway Breakers ~
Born in Coalsnaughton, Clackmannanshire, 1943 Secondary education in Portland, Connecticut, USA Rhode Island School of Design, 1961-1963 Edinburgh College of Art, 1964-68
The works of Hugh Mcintyre, D.A.Edin are most typically out of doors, enveloped in atmospheric overtones and continue the long tradition of Scottish painting. Never working from a subject directly, he walks the riverside or seashore in all weathers and then returns to his studio to relive his experiences by putting them down on canvas. once he has decided on a particular arrangement, it will be repeated over and over until the concept is exhausted. Never working on fewer then three canvases at a time, Mcintyre is able to maintain a high level of intensity by constantly changing from one canvas to another, thereby seeing each with a fresh eye. This technique allows the artist to produce the prodigious amount of work for which he is noted. He regularly returns to themes, sometimes years after the initial investigation. Hugh Mcintyre knows his subject matter intimately and from the time he began exhibiting, twenty years ago, has been recognised as an artist who could distil essences from the landscape which were unique. Never a slave to the physical reality of a situation he has created a more meaningful and accurate representation by painting from the heart those ordinary moments which make our landscape extraordinary. Over the last few years, Hugh has travelled widely working in Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Brazil. This has introduced a number of new themes into his work and enriched his palette in a very positive way.

Summer Solstice (Harvest Moon also available to view) ~
Charles Monteith Walker was born in 1957 in Falkirk and attended Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee from 1978-1982 where his influences at this time included Alberto Morrocco and David McClure. After graduation he concentrated mainly on landscape drawings in soft pastels. In the mid 1990’s his style began to evolve after several visits to Italy, Spain and Portugal. The warmth of light and colour, the piazzas, churches and towns provided him with a new, rich source of inspiration and led to the development of his own distinctive, unique style.
His work has become increasingly more bold in colour and composition, mixing imagery, symbols and shapes from a variety of different sources both geographically and historically. Charles is versatile in subject matter moving easily from representational landscape and still life to imaginative, vibrantly coloured stylised compositions all crafted in thick layers of oil paint giving his works a strong, sculptural quality.
Since 2000 Charles has worked on a series of larger scale pieces that are highly distinctive both in style and subject matter including a series inspired by Scottish and Mediterranean landscapes. His work is held in private and corporate collections both in the United Kingdom and overseas and he is now regarded as one of our most original contemporary Scottish artists at the forefront of the New Colourist trend in Scottish Art.

Sundown Fife ~
One of the best loved painters of the recent Scottish exodus into the London Art Market, Christine is a graduate of the famous Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. Her numerous awards have brought her a large following across the country and her extensive travels to Morocco, Tunisia and Italy remain her principal inspiration.

Passenham original watercolour ~
Edward Stamp came to North Bucks as a wartime evacuee at the age of 4. His love for this part of England began at this time.
He acquired an NDD (National Diploma in Design) at Northampton School of Art and became a full-time painter and engraver in 1973 and in 1980.  He was then elected as a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. His election to the Society of Wood Engravers came soon after.
He currently has work on show at the Obsidian Art Gallery in Stoke Mandeville near Aylesbury.


Visit Skills in Stony Stratford or contact us via our website if you would like to purchase these wonderful pieces.

Art Lovers Valentine Ideas

Feel the love in Stony Stratford at Skills with these wonderful Valentines gift ideas.  A bouquet of roses does not last, but these beautiful rose prints will be a lasting token of love.  The Jenni Murphy print ‘The Romantic Gardener’, framed in a gorgeous shabby chic duck egg green, is our window centrepiece.  We have the beautiful ‘Companion’ for dog lovers, and the fun ‘HareKare’ by the amazing printmaker Alison Read.  There is also the memorabilia framing service to surprise your loved one with a framed football shirt, photo booth keepsake, or 3D framing of the best souveniors of a fledgling romance.
Visit Stony Stratford, number 18 High Street, MK11 1AF.  See our website for details or follow us on Facebook or Twitter for art inspiration and new stock ranges.

Skills Guide to Picture Framing Levels

Top Quality Framing at Competitive Prices
Skills picture framing workshop staff are members of the Fine Art Trade Guild.  This means that they have received top quality training to ensure that any item will be framed perfectly to conserve it to high levels.  So many times Skills receives framed items from other framing outlets which have not been framed adequately.  Either the frame has started to fall apart or the item inside the frame is getting damaged through destructive display methods, including stitching an expensive item or from having acidic mounts put directly on top of work.  Skills can save a treasured piece from further damage and will adivse on how best to keep your treasured picture, embroidery, or memorabilia framed to the highest level for longevity and enjoyment on your wall.  The levels available are as follows:-

Budget Level Framing
It’s better than Minimum and better than ready made framing. If you can afford to frame your items or artwork at Commended Level, the Fine Art Trade Guild recommends you do so, as that gives it a degree of protection from physical and mechanical damage, airborne pollution and acid damage. Budget Level framing makes no pretence to protect the artwork or its long-term visual appearance. However, Budget Level Framing does provide a visually acceptable frame at a budget price and is suitable for replaceableartwork of no commercial or sentimental value.
Commended Level Framing
Guild Commended Level framing should visually enhance the artwork and will give a moderate level of protection from physical and mechanical damage, airborne pollution and acid damage. A windowmount or slip should normally be used to visually enhance the artwork and distance it from the glazing. Processes do not have to be reversible so make sure your framer knows if the chance to get your work back to its condition prior to framing is important to you. The Guild recommends that processes should be reversible whenever possible, as the future value of works cannot always be foreseen and work ‘in mint condition’ commands the best secondary market value.
The target time for this level of framing is around five years in normal conditions, but this can be improved by requesting Conservation Level quality of materials, such as mountboard, where you can afford it. Consult with your professional framer. Always have items and artwork that you value framed with the best possible materials; this will help them give you pleasure for longer. Commended Level framing gives you a wider choice of mountboard colour options than Conservation Level and some artwork will look better when dry mounted, a process that can also help disguise previous damage but that is usually not readily reversible.
Commended Level Framing is suitable for replaceable artwork of limited commercial and/or moderate sentimental value and where visual appearance is important. The target lifetime assumes that artwork is not inherently unstable. Commended Level framing is not recommended for high value limited edition prints or original artwork, which should be framed to Conservation or Museum Level.

Conservation Level Framing
Guild Conservation Level framing gives a high level of protection for your artwork or objects, whilst looking good and enabling you to view your framed work to best effect. It should give virtually as high a level of protection as Museum Level framing and in many markets, for example the USA, no distinction is made between the two. By using conservation quality materials and the best techniques, the framer can give your work protection from physical and mechanical damage, airborne pollution and acids generated by many framing materials
Conservation Level framing should be good for 20 years in normal conditions, but be vigilant: pictures are rarely hung in ideal conditions, so we recommend that you have the frame checked every five years or so by a professional framer .  The Fine Art Trade Guild recommends that you agree a ‘condition of artwork’ report on all works to be framed to Conservation Level that are not brand new, prior to framing. Appropriate remedial action on deteriorating artwork should be taken before reframing. Some framers can do this work; not all. Check and ask for credentials

Suitable for

Objects and artworks that are to be preserved for future generations and collectables should be framed to Conservation Level, if not to Museum Level. Original artwork deserves Conservation or Museum Level Framing. Limited edition prints of moderate to high value that are not framed to Conservation or Museum Level may not hold or increase their value over time as well as those that are. This is because Conservation Level framing, as well as Museum Level framing, requires that all processes affecting the artwork be fully reversible. In other words, what you have framed to Guild Conservation Level can be returned to its former state, i.e. prior to framing, at any time up to 20 years, assuming that the artwork is not inherently unstable

Good original frames should be retained wherever possible as these can enhance the value of the artwork. Frames can be replicated for display purposes, while the original is preserved in museum storage. Sometimes it is advantageous to retain an original windowmount (possibly gilded or decorated). A qualified framer will know how to do this and protect the artwork from damage this original windowmount could otherwise inflict on the artwork.

Museum Level Framing

Museum Level Framing is not confined to museums’ works. Some artwork gains museum-quality status over time. Works that are to be preserved for future generations, including high value items and artwork of potential or historical value should be framed to Museum Level, where possible. Processes are intended to be fully reversible up to 35 years, which means that the framed work can be returned to its former state, i.e. prior to framing, at any time, assuming that the artwork is not inherently unstable
Good original frames should be retained wherever possible as these can enhance the value of the artwork. Frames can be replicated for display purposes, while the original is preserved in museum storage. Sometimes it is advantageous to retain an original windowmount (possibly gilded or decorated). A qualified framer will know how to do this and protect the artwork from damage this original windowmount could otherwise inflict on the artworkMuseum Level framing should give the best possible protection for your artwork or objects, whilst looking good and enabling you to view your framed work to best effect. By using the highest quality materials available and the best techniques, the framer can give your work protection from physical and mechanical damage,  airborne pollution and acids generated by many framing materials. Museum Level framing should be good for at least 30 years in normal conditions. However, pictures are  rarely hung in ideal conditions, so we recommend that you have the frame checked every five years or so by a professional framer. The Fine Art Trade Guild recommends that you agree a ‘condition of artwork’ report on all works to be framed to Museum Level that are not brand new, prior to framing. Appropriate remedial action on deteriorating artwork should be taken before reframing. Some framers can do this work; not all. Check and ask for credentials.
Note: Any existing labels should be preserved as this can provide provenance for the art    

Visit Skills at 18 High Street, Stony Stratford MK11 1AF for a non obligatory quote and expert advice on picture framing.  Click on the map for opening times and contact details

Skills Junior Artist Range

 Due to the increasing demand for childrens art materials by Stony Stratford shoppers, Skills are excited to introduce the Fun Range and their new Junior Art section.  These colourful and economical art materials cover all age groups and activities – from finger paints and washable picture stencils for the younger artists, to high quality acrylic and watercolour sets for budding artists starting out on their creative pathway.  Complementing this range are manga design sets, zentangle, scrapbooks, art doodle books, and sketchpads.  The only problem is choosing which to try first!

What is so special about Unison Soft Pastels?

Skills are the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire stockist for the top quality Unison soft pastel range.  Why do artists choose these particular pastels over other varities on the market?  The reason why they were created in the first place is due to creator John Hersey’s experience as a pastel artist.  He was dissatisfied with manufactured pastels available – which had poor colour vibrancy, inconsistent colour texture, and often crumbling and breaking soon after purchase.
John Hersey was born in 1925. He was a student at the Byam Shaw School of art in London where he won a Rome scholarship and lived in Italy for several years. On returning to London, he continued to paint and ran a business making fine art colour slides.

With his experience using pastels, John had a vision for the quality of pastel he would like to use for his artwork.  For several years he worked on methods of production, colour sequences and the texture of his pigment mixtures. In 1987 he decided to offer the results to fellow pastallists, with immediate interest.  Eventually sales expanded in the USA and now the Unison brand is known as a sought after artists quality pastel range.  Find out how the unison pastels are made.

Unison pastels are available to purchase at Skills individually in a pick n mix purchase and a special offer for 6.  Attractive boxed sets, including starter, bright, dark, portrait, and landscape are also available for a special Christmas gift.

Click on the wheel to view the complete range.

Artist of the week - Derek Daniells

Beautiful Acrylic unvarnished, available varnished, framed size 450mm x 490mm £725

Derek Daniells was born in Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire in 1949. He is a professional artist who uses a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylic, mixed media and pastel with equal skill on a wide range of subjects.
From the initial abstract blocks of colour, Derek builds the play of light on form following the inspiration of earlier painters such as Vuillard, Degas and Turner. He prefers direct observation often working on site at any time of day or night. Derek's work shows his strong passion, excitement and sensitivity for his subject, always seeking to capture a moment in time. Searching out subjects that excite his eye, Derek has travelled extensively.
Derek exhibits internationally and at many galleries throughout the UK. He has exhibited in the open exhibitions of The Royal Society of British Artists (selected for the Daler Rowney painting award 2009), the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Royal Watercolour Society and Pastel Society. His paintings are part of many private collections both in the UK and abroad, including that of Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford.
Derek still lives in Stony Stratford with his wife Caroline and son Luke.