The Sprat & Mackeral Pub, Brixham

I love this Thea. It is really very good indeed.

I always admire your paintings, Thea, and this has given me an idea for my next snail effort.

I'm not actually sure what your problem is with this one. It's one of your best and I love all the little extras like the cars, fish and chip shop and pub which are tonally just right. I think that it's a super painting!

This is so lovely Thea and I cannot think of anything to make it more perfect than it is! The next step is to have it framed and to hang it on the wall. Beautiful gentle colours and a lovely delicate drawing.

Thank you so much Christopher, Sian, Louise and Satu - it is very pleasing that you you like the painting. Louise, I could give myself a right punch for being so lacking in confidence. I am definitely not like that in normal day to day life, but it seems to dog me when it comes to what I paint. Perhaps I need hypnosis, lol!

I like it very much as it is, especailly the vignett style background whcih gives it a dreamlike effect. The boat works well and it is a totally lovely townscape too.

Very busy pretty little scene which suits your style extremely well, not exactly sure what you think is 'wrong' with it or what you were hoping to achieve in the first place but I think it's a really good pen and wash!

I think it's a stunning result, Thea, and I can't imagine any of your paintings being underwhelmed, and whatever stage! I think the interaction of the warm and cool colors really make the painting sing and the atmosphere is just lovely.

Satu has said it!

A really lovely painting Thea, like Louise I think it is one of your best! A lovely colourful, cheerful painting to brighten a dark and dismal day.

Thank you very much Lin, Seok, Gudrun and Christine - lovely comments and such a boost to my confidence. (One day I will stop whingeing about how I feel about my paintings - promise!)

Light, bright and cheerful Thea. Can't see anything that would cause you concern.

Super work Thea, I suppose we can always find some fault with our own work but this works very well.

A delightful piece and so much in your individual style.

Thank you very much Fiona, Stephen and Michael for your very nice comments. However, I do think in future I might consider adding a snail somewhere in the picture - sort of killing two birds with one stone, eh?

Pen n' wash can easily become chintzy and bland. How to avoid sacrificing the whole to the detail? But you've given this real zing Thea. It has great 3-layer depth, exquisite detail and compositional coherence. Wot's the prob?! So you're a former skiier and your children help you to keep the passion alive. That's lovely. I'm not a skiier - except cross-country, which I enjoy hugely (skating not classic technique). But I'm terrified of breaking something, which can seem rather odd given that my real hobby is mountaineering. Hey-ho...

It's fabulous Thea, love those lovely little brightly coloured cottages along Brixham sea front and the lovely little boats in the harbour and the feint details of the shop units below the cottages, it all fits together so perfectly

Thanks very much, Ros and Kim, for all your enouragement and comments, which are full of insight. So much appreciated.