Rick Steins Cornwall Series 2 Featured artist

I'm not very good at keeping secrets, so it was a difficult few months keeping quiet about this one.  Rick Stein suggested me for the programme himself which was enough for me, but ultimately the filming and eventual showing of the episode was an amazing experience. 

Filmed at Porthcothan Bay, it was a beautiful day and the whole team were fantastic.  I still don't know how I managed to create anything, but I did.  I found myself just listening to the sea and taking in the atmosphere whilst trying to hold a conversation on camera and paint. Not an easy task. 

At the back of mind all the time was filming the sea swim.  Being on national tv in my swimsuit wouldn't have been my ideal scenario, but as Rick himself is a keen sea swimmer was important to see it through.  There wasn't great surf and the producer wasn't used to cold water at all which caused a few giggles.  Invigorating I think was the word. 

At the time of filming in early June, were all coming out the first winter of the Pandemic and things were starting to open up.  Looking back it's so hard to even imagine.  At the end of filming we went to the Cornish Arms (owned by Rick) to celebrate with a pint. It was the first day of pubs being able to re open and I got to hear a lot of stories from the crew of past filming series including meeting the Dalai Lama.  

When the programme did finally air, I was away for my brothers 60th birthday  but remember the phone going crazy and opening my laptop to so many emails and enquiries. I know I wished I had had more original paintings for sale.  I could have sold them 10 times over. 

Since then, the programme has been repeated and aired all over the world.  I have sent prints and work all over the world, including Australia and Taiwan, Sweden and Denmark.   A definate career highlight.  Thank you Rick!. 

Porthcothan Blues,  the final painting finished back in the studio.