a new gallery

I’m delighted to announce that I delivered some new paintings to a wonderful gallery in Helmsley, North Yorkshire: The Saltbox Gallery on Castlegate, very near the famous castle, just across from the equally famous beck -home to the annual duck race.

You can see my paintings in person ( any excuse for a trip out to Helmsley) where you’ll be assured of a warn, friendly welcome or simply have a look on their website:

https://www.saltboxgallery.co.uk/shop/penandwatercolourbyjohnharrison/157?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc

well,well,well……

Look what the postman brought! My advance copy of ‘Pen and wash’…seems slightly surreal: this time last year I was slaving away with the text and drawings, and her it is. The rest of the print run is en route from India, with an expected publication date of 25 March, but you can pre-order a copy on Amazon in the UK( the US site is the same, but publication there isn’t until October.

The first copy of my book!!!!

Here’s the link to Amazon UK,: – if you’re opposed to increasing Jeff Bezos’ bank balance, you can pre order from Waterstones and you can also order it directly from my publishers: the Crowood Press. As I discover more independent bookshops here and overseas, I’ll post the links .

https://amzn.eu/d/4fYSssv

Pen and Wash by John Harrison | Waterstones

https://www.crowood.com/collections/forthcoming/products/pen-and-wash-by-john-harrison

it’s 2024

Rather late I know, but can I take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the coming year?

A few things in the pipeline: I’m currently compiling a new collection of drawings and paintings which I hope to have ready for the end of this month- keep an eye on my Etsy shop; the publication date for my ‘proper’ book of techniques( pen and wash) is drawing ever nearer- I’ve been promised an advance copy in the next few weeks which I’ll share once it’s in my hands; I’m considering creating a page on this website- after a few suggestions – where you can see a selection of paintings for purchase directly from me rather than through a gallery, so that’ll probably happen over the next weekend, and finally, there’s a new video on Youtube which you might like to have a look at.

I did a demo for the good folks at Keswick Art Society( thank you David and Ted for the tech expertise)which was filmed in its entirety, so if you’ve ever wondered what a demo looks like, here’s your chance. This is part 2 , which is the actual demonstration- part one is also up there, but it’s a lot of me babbling on…….

A colouring book for the cold dark days

One of the comments often made at my workshops is “but I can’t draw!” 
often followed with “can I copy yours?”. I spoke to and asked many folk if they thought a book of line drawings would be useful as a learning tool, and as pure entertainment, and the resounding answer was “yes’….
So here it is: I’ve compiled a new book-a different publication altogether-not a collection of watercolour sketches, but a book of my black line drawings that you can colour in, copy, print off… yes: a colouring book😜
The line drawings are all of scenes and place around Yorkshire and the Lake District and have been simplified to allow the user to more easily interpret how I made the marks, and adapt them for their own use.
The book is printed on a heavy, uncoated 170g paper which will take colour pencil, crayon and markers easily. It is NOT watercolour paper-although it will take very light, minimal washes, it will not withstand very heavy watercolour.
What I suggest is that you photocopy the image onto watercolour paper and use that; transfer the image(s) onto the watercolour paper of your choice by tracing it or using transfer paper, or simply re-draw it referring to my lines. 

The front cover of my newest book

You can get your very own copy( or as a gift for someone else?) via the Etsy link below

https://drawninyorkshire.etsy.com/listing/1605727850

me, in a magazine

I was recently invited to take part in an interview for a major lifestyle magazine in the North of the UK – Living North. The current issue is now on sale across Yorkshire and the north, but the full interview can be read online, by clicking this link:

https://www.livingnorth.com/article/meet-yorkshire-watercolour-artist-john-harrison

Much of the text may be familiar to anyone who’s been on a workshop and picked up one of my leaflets, but it may be of interest to any new readers, or those of you who live outside the UK.

Me, in front of one of my recent drawings of Staithes