Artwork Description:

Title: The Old Bell Hotel

The Old Bell Hotel grade II listed building was constructed in 1650 and was considered one of the most prestigious coaching inns outside of London.

It resides in Sadler Gate, one of Derby’s oldest streets dating back over 1,000 years and now home to some of Derby’s best independent shops, cafes and bars.

Painted in ink and watercolour.  Although I often paint the buildings while sitting in the street this painting needed multiple photos stitching together to construct the wide view.

This is a familiar sight for me as it is the view from the Derby Heritage Centre on the opposite side of Sadler Gate which stocks cards, mugs and magnets using this and other local scenes I have painted.

Artist Bio:

Working quickly with a fountain pen, waterproof ink and watercolour, Tom captures views of cafes, city streets and rural views in an urban sketch style.  Some of these are worked into larger pictures back in the studio using pen and wash or oil.  Sometimes an image demands to be painted and battles a path via sketches and photographs to be released from just an idea to become a finished piece of work.

Tom has always been fascinated by our impact on the landscape and started sketching the urban environment of cafes, railway stations and airports while travelling for work.  Now Tom can often be found sketching and painting in and around Derby and enjoys chatting to onlookers about art techniques, the history of local buildings or where to find the best coffee and cake.