Whats been keeping me busy.

Some examples here from the last little while that I've been working on . Another Red grouse picture from a trip to Northumberland a while back. A bit more of an Abstract piece for me with allot of positive and negative spaces between the shapes of the grouse. not sure if it shows that in the photo of the piece but here it is anyway.

Continuing on a similar theme is a Golden plover piece that I have wanted to paint for a long while. The inspiration came whilst out feeding my Partridge feeders on the ground I fly my falcons on. We always get large flocks of wintering Golden Plover there . Its a very open high plateau of ground near the coast that the plover seem to like and you can see the Moor which they also frequent from this location too with uninterrupted views straight across the beautiful Devon countryside. This Particular day it was towards the end of the day and I had finished topping up feeders and was about to drive home when my eye was caught by the typical wing stretch of a Goldie on the plough of one of the exposed fields on the top ground. I stopped the truck and glassed the individual which revealed a mass of plover all roosting on the plough there cryptic camouflage blending them perfectly in the young winter wheat. I did some sketches using the scope and then tried to stalk closer for a few shots with the camera. I managed to get some distant shots but nothing fantastic and I just lay on the field watching them sleeping,preening and moving about amongst one another . It must have been high tide and this or the more is where they come to await the turning of the tide. Soon some unspoken signal filtered through their ranks and they all took to the air to head out to the estuary. Because I was already low to the plough I got some good shots of them coming straight towards me and then passing to my right across the low now Golden sky . The sound of their piping calls and the rush of hundreds of wings speeding past is an unforgettable experience.

Another piece I have just recently completed is of the Cann Quarry Peregrine female. Its amazing how attached one gets to individual wild birds that you come to know . This female and her mate unfortunately failed this year to hatch fertile eggs and as I type this they are still at the site but not incubating any longer. I have not been able to visit the site for sometime but I am kept informed about how they are doing by friends that are on the watch team that monitor the site. These are generally a successful pair in recent years and its puzzling why they have failed .However these things do happen and I'm sure they will succeed next season.

I'm still here!

I've been meaning to add a post for ages, and can't believe it's almost a month since the last entry.So here's an update...

The falconry fair went well at the beginning of the month.Despite our best intentions it was a last minute rush to get everything together as usual, every year we plan to be more organised but things just seem to get in the way ( painting, kids etc), and Donna and I end up dashing around getting prints produced, framed and wrapped ready to go right up until the last hour. Maybe next year we will be more organised? As usual though,it was worth all the hard work. I've been exhibiting at the fair now for over15 years , and in that time I've made a lot of good friends and gathered many loyal customers. Although the numbers attending seemed to be down, it was good to see a lot of familiar faces and catch up with people. I exhibited across 2 stands this year which in hindsight was a little ambitious! Nick from Honeybrook generously asked me to exhibit on his stand and I also had a stand alongside my good friend Carl from Gamehawker.I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the people who helped to man the stands, Stan, Chris George and Mark, Carl for booking the pitch, helping to make the display panelsand of course all his words of wisdom, and Donna for all the pre-show organisation.Without everyone pulling together it really isn't possible.I took along a variety of the giclee prints including the 2 new images all of which were well recieved, and of course it was also an opportunity to let everyone know about the new website. All in all a successful weekend.

Since getting back, I've been working on a large commission for a client via the Halcyon gallery, and Donna is researching which events we should exhibit at over the next couple of years. We went to the Devon County show last week and are looking into the possibilty of having a stand there next year. We will definately be at the falconry fair and the falconry festival next year, and we're looking at the CLA and possible trade shows for next year or 2010. We'll keep you posted, and once we know we're definately going to be at a particular event we will add it to the relevant page on the website.

We're also busy looking at possible images to use for new sets of greetings cards, and of course the new premier collection of giclees will be released in the next few months , so we are considering which images to use for them. When the decisions have been made and release dates organised we will let you know.

And of course on top of all that we've been getting lots of enquiries and sales via the website to deal with, so sorry it's been so long since the last post, but now you can hopefully see why. I'll do my best not to leave it a month before I'm back again.

Hugh, one of Carl's good friends entertaining me and Chris Gilchrist with a tale from last seasons hawking. It was good to catch up with so many good friends.

The Falconry Fair 2008

Hi everyone , just another plug to let you know that I will be at the Falconry fair next weekend 4th and 5th May in Telford. I hope to see you all . Don't forget I will have the two new images released on my stand which will be at GAMEHAWKER by vantage vc ltd.Hopefully I should have a Banner up this year so you can find me easier.I will also have work on show at the Honeybrook stand.All the best see you there.
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At the Printers

Well yesterday I went up to see my good friends Ian and Eve Heard at Faraway island Giclee.

Ive been working with Ian and Eve for around three or four years now and enjoy my visits to their beautiful farmhouse which overlooks the rolling countryside just outside Tavistock.Driving through the lanes the countryside seems to be coming into full bloom now . The weather had been more like February than April over the last few days but today at least seemed to be shouting spring is in full swing! As I pulled up outside the farm house and started to unload what I needed for the appointment two buzzards Wheeled overhead and a cock Pheasant crowed from a nearby hedgerow. The Cuckoo's will be back soon and last year you could stand here and listen to them down in the valley below.The garden outside the studio where Ian and Eve work was full of birds and I was rewarded with the lovely sight of a pair of Bullfinches feeding on the buds of the apple trees. Ian and Eves background is in illustration, design and print and have been in the business a long time and in the last few years have been working with many artists like me in producing high quality Giclee prints. The one thing that I love about working with Ian is he is also an Artist and seems to understand the way the process works from the Artists point of view, He is a multi talented guy , artist , musician, print maker and writer! Working also with such people means that the artist can be involved all the way through the process from scanning of the artwork right the way through the long proofing process and the final signing of the editions.I decided in the end to go for releasing two images after the poll, "Arctic Visitor", and "Golden eagle and blue Hare" They were level pegging for so long that it was so hard to predict a clear winner. I know that some people will be disappointed that the Peregrine pieces will not be released as yet but I will not rule out that they may be released at a future date. So anyway the process has been started of proofing the two images for print and over the next few day's that will continue until we are happy with the results.

New online shop is now up and running!!

I'm pleased to say that the online shop is now up and running, so please form an orderly queue, get your wallets and purses out and get spending! www.andrewellispaintings.com
We've aimed to make it as simple to use as possible and so the price you see is the price you pay- there is no postage and packing to add on top for customers in the Uk and Europe.We will send to other destinations, please contact us for postage costs.

I will be meeting with the printers to do the scanning and colour management on the new
giclee(s) tomorrow. The results of the poll were really interesting, and I think we will run another poll later in the year. The only disadvantage of it being that I think that it was maybe possible for people to cast multiple votes and this will obviously have affected the result. So now I'm trying to decide which of the top 2 to go for, or if time and money allow whether to put both into print. Once the decision has been made I'll let you know.

Not much time left to vote

As I'm writing this there are only 3 days left to vote in the poll . So if you haven't done so already please vote to tell me which image you would most like to see available to buy as a print.Two images are currently neck-a-neck so every vote will count. When the poll finishes i will publish the results for you to see, and next week I'll be going to see Ian and Eve to set the wheels in motion to put an image into print in time for the falconery fair- 1st bank hoilday weekend in May. The new print will be available to buy both at the fair and online at my website. The shop pages for which are being built as we speak!

Flying Goldies

" Chris, how do you fancy going to see Goldie's flown at Blue Hare in Scotland?"

That was music to my friends ears. Chris is actually my Tae Kwon-Do instructor. I had been training with the club for about a year without either of us knowing the other was a falconer!

Chris has only been in the game a few years, ( a yellow belt at Falconry he calls himself) anyhow Chris is a big Eagle fan.I had arranged with Neil Hunter a falconer and major collector of mine to go up and see his Eagles hunt. It had only taken us three years to get it arranged ! I was always busy so at the beginning of march started the final arrangements for a two day trip. I thought Chris would love this so on the 18th of March we were heading north on an easy jet flight to Edinburgh.we had arranged with Neil to pretty much head straight out . so on arrival as we cleared the doors of the airport there was Neil waiting or should I say driving by in his truck. We quickly bundled the bags in the back of the truck and got in.There hanging from the rear view mirror were three huge Golden Eagle Hoods! Better than any fluffy dice I thought, Neils smiling face said it all .He's one of those guy's that what ever he does he gives it 110 % enthusiasm and commitment.You cannot but be affected by this when your around him. Introductions made and we were off. A quick stop at Dobbie's a cafe where we met up with John Neil's brother and fellow eagle flyer all the time talking eagles and Chris sucking it all up like a sponge. After a breakfast of champions we bundled into the trucks and headed for the hill via a quick stop to at Johns to get our gear on and to load Johns eagle into Neils Truck.Neil is in a very fortunate position to have access at certain times of the year to nearly 30,000 acres of prime grouse moor . Now he admits that if he were flying falcons he wouldn't get a sniff of the place ,Its because uniquely he offers a good service to the resident keepers that he gets to fly there. By flying his golden eagles he is helping to reduce the number of blue hares on the moor.The keepers actively control their numbers because of the dreaded ticks that pass on disease and are also capable of killing grouse chicks. The reality is that actually Neil in a perverse kind of way is helping the hares . If he were not taking them with his eagles the keepers hold shoots to cull them and actually end up taking bags far higher than Neil and his eagles ever would. The moor we were on was beautiful and whats more pleasing is the weather was on our side! clear blue skies and a nice breeze. We pulled up and unloaded and Neil and John readied the eagles .John was flying Floyd his male and Neil flying two males , Taggart and Talon who was on loan from Jeff Mc knight.

Now when Neil said there would be alot of hares this did'nt prepare me for the amount that we actually saw. We lined out and started walking, we had'nt gone 70 yrds and an eagle was slipped at one. John took the first slip and his eagle was off the fist in the blink of an eye . Many of us think of eagles as great big lumbering giants of the bird of prey world, but this certainly isnt the case when being flown by experienced eagle men like Neil and John. A Goldies speed is very deseptive and Floyd caught up to his hare in no time. The hare put on the breaks, turning sharply to the right and shot away as the eagle threw up into the air , flipping over and swinging back down and intersepted the hare another ten yrds on . There was very little strugglefrom the hare once in those huge yellow feet . In fact Neil said its usually all over for the hare very quickly because of the massive power of the eagles grip. This basicly was the pattern for the day and we witnessed many great twisting and turning flight some of which went on for 3-400 yrds or more. Some ended with the eagles climbing up then throwing themselves into crashing dives ,smashing into the heather after the ever jinking and swerving hares. The eagles by no mean had it all there own way !many of the hares showed what amazing athletes they are . A hares main defence after running like the wind is to stop and wait for the eagle to commit to an attack . As the eagle streaks in the hare jinks or leaps out of the attackers path , sometimes literally over the eagle a few feet in the air. They also use the terrain . Eagles are disadvantaged going up hill once they have lost their initial speed. The hare again waits until the eagle comes in then sidesteps the eagle and then shoots up hill as fast as it can putting great distance between itself and the eagle .

Obviously though the eagles learn quickly too! and were successful six times in all. Things didn't always go well for Neil and John and a few times after an eagle was beat it would take off after another hare it had spotted and have to be recovered at some distance. I have huge respect for these guy's ,their physical strength and endurance would test the fittest and strongest of men . It helps with flying Golden eagles if your a big person . The eagles way 8-14lb depending on the sex. Its not lightly that Neil say's the ideal is a small male ! Once you are carrying a few hares caught and the Eagle the walk back to the car can be punishing . The distance you cover too whilst flying these mighty creatures is very deceptive .Before you know it you've covered 7-8 miles in no time over the sometimes knee high heather . Plus if your vertically challenged like me you have to lift your legs that much higher to clear it each and every step,and I think of myself as quite fit. But all in all you forget about burning muscles when your in the company of these magnificent predators and their natural quarry. The moor is a special place at this time of year .With Neils hunting coming to an end , the Grouse are displaying, the males with their "Go- back, Go-back,Go-back" calls reverberating around the hills .Skylarks singing in flight above . Between lunch we drove to a new place and I was rewarded with good views of the grouse courting on the tracks . There were Curlew and Golden Plover on the moor and the keepers were out burning heather strips . This was the first time I had seen this activity , you could see other burns going on miles away on other distant hills . It was a magical day and we came off the hill,( after lots more photo's of grouse !!!something the guy's ribbed me for "stop , stop there's another grouse " ) tired but rewarded with an experience many people will never see and I think they are the poorer for it.

left ,Grouse display flight, right Blue hare keeping a low profile,below Neil and Chris relax in the heather while John retreives his eagle

Chris was blown away and more determined than ever to fly an eagle . They certainly aren't for everyone and should only be, I think be flown by an experienced few with the land and quarry fitting for such a predator . Neil most definitely has that ,but he works hard to maintain it . Unfortunately our second day the weather turned against us . However not to be daunted we arranged to visit one of the countries most experienced eagle breeders ,Andrew Knowles Brown. Andrew made us very welcome and showed us some of his eagles at this very sensitive time of year , which we were very grateful for . Some of his eagles were on eggs but he allowed us to see inside some of the breeding barns. On behalf of myself and Chris I would like to thank Neil,John and their families for their warm hospitality, and also to Andrew . I think Chris will be back definitely and so to will I!