"Kaikoura nocturne" gouache on black paper.

Great work Mike, really like it.

thanks Sandra - using this as a starter. Came down with a work colleague and did the TransAlpine express both ways , shot down to Dunedin and then he drove Dunedin/Picton. I took photos - 2900 of them and 1 sketch !Hey Ho for the digital camera.

Sounds like you’ve got plenty of material to turn into great paintings Mike, so no excuses! I like the mood you’ve created in this painting.

Thanks Fiona , hopefully so. I do retire fully come Christmas - unless I continue acting as mentor to people taking the correspondence courses on leather. Just celebrated 68 years since I walked into my first tannery so think I've done my dash.

Blimey Mike, you’ve done more than your dash I would say. That’s a long time for your nostrils to be assaulted by ammonia....or is the process of tanning a more refined environment now. Whatever the process you look good on it!

still have ammonia - comes from the ammonium salts used in the deliming process. Guess I'm well preserved you could say.

Effective use of gouache on the black paper, Mike. I've just bought some gouache to try out and have selected one of your West coast South Island scenes to try, if that's OK, although it'll be a challenge to try and capture the stunning scenery on paper!

Lovely atmospheric piece Mike.

thanks Carole and go for it Jenny , no problem , I literally have thousands of photos in my "Potential painting folder"