My St Ives

Hey strangers. The last two weeks have just been hectic! Fairs, deliveries, signings, hangings, painting, the list goes on but I have found new energy within me that I didn't know existed. I think its called adrenalin. So after all that tomorrow morning we are off to Cornwall for a well deserved three day break. It is a sort of business trip too, delivering eight paintings to the lovely Avalon gallery in Marazion and also for a meeting with Whistlefish galleries regarding my prints. All very exciting! But I definitely think there will be plenty of time to squeeze in a visit to the Tate St Ives, the Barbara Hepworth museum, many of the 50 or more galleries and craft shops that are scattered in St Ives. Also some good walks on the beach, relaxing lunches, bit of paddling, people watching, photograph taking, gin and tonic drinking and much much more. Oh I love Cornwall, I feel like I am going home. That is where my heart is, sigh....maybe one day!

I will be back Monday with hopefully some good photos and new artist finds. xxxx

popping my head in

Hello strangers, sorry it's been a while! I have been working on this commission for some Chartered surveyors offices in Manchester. I have really enjoyed doing it. researching, laying with compositions, drawing and painting in a different way. it is huge. The brief was architecture, so I decided to do "The greatest city in the world and included some of my favourite buildings. This is probably the biggest piece I have worked on to date. I was initially daunted by the size but loved it. It is less finicky and you feel much freer working at this scale.

I will be hiring a van and delivering it at the end of the week.

The weeks are flying by. I've been planning and starting work for my solo exhibition at Sarah Wiseman gallery in May, this is immediately followed by a show at baxters in Devon entitled "B is for" and the paintings can be anything beginning with the letter b. What fun!

Two weeks ago I sent out my new brochures to several galleries and the following morning, Whistlefish, a chain of galleries in Cornwall phoned with an order for hundreds!!! I'm absolutely over the moon. So I have been busy signing and packing hundreds of limited edition pr intswhich will be off in the post today. It really is manic here.....but wonderful.

This week is also The Affordable Art fair in London, starting Thursday. If anyone would like tickets just drop me a line.

I'm hoping to be back tomorrow with some links, just felt i just pop my head in quickly. I haven't even had the time to stop by my favourite blogs for a while so hopefully will catch up a bit this week. Bye for now xxx

Subdued

It's grey and cold outside. My palette reflects this.

Sorry for lack of posts. Working every hour at the moment xx

Blue harbour

The Affordable art fair in London is fast aproaching! I will be there represented by Pond gallery, London. It is on 15-18 March in Battersea Park, London. It is a great show with over 125 galleries from across the world exhibiting, each representing several artists.

If anyone would like to go please let me know. I have unlimited tickets that are free for two people on the Friday and half price on Saturday or Sunday. It is an inspirational visit and you may even pick yourself up a piece of art as everything is priced between £30 and £3,000.

Just leave me a comment with your email address and I will sort you out with some tickets.

Happy Thursday folks! xx

p.s Oh and I have to once again share with you the crazy mesmerizing world of Joke Schole. This website makes me want to learn Dutch!!

rubbish!

I didn't think the inside of my bin was rubbish!

I'm working all weekend, balancing my palette on my splint. Have a great weekend everyone! x

computer literate?

Where is the week going? I have so much on. I am preparing envelopes for mail outs and designing comp slips, getting brochures ready for my new limited edition prints which I'm launching next week, hopefully. It's not all about painting! I have had lots of that to do too though. I have six paintings to do for a gallery for next Wednesday. Two are finished so far.

Last week......no, the week before, aaagghhh? I went to the Spring fair in the NEC which is a huge, it took a whole day to just see two halls, the gallery and Greeting cards/stationary. I saw a few new artists and was reminded of some old favourites. I am planning on having a stand at the fair myself next year so it was good research but overall the fair was a bit disappointing. It all seems so dominated by the very big publishers. There is a lot of the same out there.

But these stopped me in my tracks by

Marius Van Dokkum

My own studio is not dissimilar......

They made me chuckle. The second one reminds me of a story my friend told me recently, he was helping his grandmother order a new washing machine online, they found one she liked the look of so he told her she could pay there and then and it would get delivered to her, she couldn't quite understand that she wouldn't have to go to a shop and see someone face to face but nevertheless she disappeared from the room and came back a few minutes later with a handful of cash. He was puzzled but then fell about laughing when he saw she was bent down and trying to feed the cash into the modem!!!! Well how do they know!?!?

Shirley Hughes reminded me why I love Childrens books.

Some nice new prints from Sasha Harding

After a long chat on the phone that has distracted me for the last hour and a half and now it is midnight, Bye for now xxx

Beach huts

My latest work. The original 76x76cm is currently residing at Pond galleries in London. It will be available as a Limited edition print as soon as I update my website. Image size 30x30cm.

Have a great weekend folks! I will be back Monday with the artists. xxx

London links

These goodies were found and seen in various locations from my two day trip to London. From Collect at the V&A to shopping on the top end of Kings Road it was a feast for the eyes.

Bettina Speckner at Galerie Ra from Collect.

The Spring collection from Noa Noa (I love their styling as much as their clothes)






Hans Van der Weijden ( I think this was at Collect just found the name scribbled in my notebook)



I wish my feet were small enough for these seen at Couverture, (my second favourite shop in the world).



I am quite a fan of their wallpapers Timorous beasties


and who wouldn't like some of this hand painted wallpaper by Neisha Crosland




I found Charlotte liddle at Designers guild

Crazy jewels and bags from Joke schole

Malice in Wonderland by Bethan Lloyd Worthington

and finally, the new collection of fabrics from Marimekko at Skandium is so fresh!

Tomorrow, if I have time I will do a feature on artists I saw at The spring fair last week at the NEC, if not, Monday, I promise. Bye for now, with Love xx

bracing myself

A new painting and a new apron......this painting completes the pair (it is square by the way) and its making its way to Pond galleries in London on Friday.

Yep, i am off to London again on Friday for the weekend, can't wait. We are planning a bit of a tourist trip, no shops!?!? (well maybe just this one) but we are sightseeing, galleries, museums etc instead. This looks like a great exhibition at the V&A so we will definitely be heading there.

and I am sharing Abigails excitement about a new apron, but mine is not nearly as fancy as her lovely one. I really should photograph my previous one. It is a work of art in itself. It can nearly stand up on its own it is so thick with paint.

The UK is on weather alert, as they are expecting a lot of snow tonight. Now normally I would be peeing my pants with excitement by now at this prospect as our garden normally transforms into a winter wonderland when white, but just tomorrow I am crossing my fingers for just a little rather than the six predicted. You see I have a photographer coming a long way tomorrow to take photos of eight paintings. These are for my new collection of limited edition prints which I am so xcited about, so I really need him to be able to get here through the snow. We can't postpone as they are being delivered over the weekend in various locations in London. So please....just this once....just a little.

Off to carry on writing delivery notes, screwing hooks into my canvases!?! and packing. I might see you tomorrow. Happy Thursday all. xx

p.s gosh and thank you so much lovelies for the kind comments about that last painting. It really means a lot! xx

St Ives mist.

I have finished this today. My colours are getting more subtle as this is how I feel. I like it though. This will be available as a print along with another six, hopefully by the end of the month. I will let you know.

Have a great weekend y'all. xxx

opposites attract

This a painting I have finished in the last couple of days entitled opposites attract. I find it hard when a gallery wants images for press releases four months before the exhibition starts. I am having a solo exhibition in May at Sarah Wiseman gallery entitled Birds and bunting. This will be the largest body of work I have ever had to produce but i am very excited about it. it will include drawings, collages and paintings



I wanted to mention the touring exhibition called Folk art and fairytales. Ten artists, including , Su Blackwell, Julie Arkell, Jennifer Collier, Rachael Howard and Jayne Lennard are exhibiting work which is based around storytelling, narrative, literature, poetry, fairy tales and folk art. It includes works made from metal, papier-mâché and textiles, as well as ceramics and jewellery. Here is the work of a few who are exhibiting.

Lowri Davies

Lucy Casson

Samantha Bryan

I will be back in a couple of days with some more great finds!

xx

It's TOASTie in here!

Everything is taking twice as long as normal so far this year. I had a strict diary/timetable planned for January and according to that I am 2/3 weeks behind, which is why I haven't been around much. You see, these blogs take me far too long, I haven't quite cracked it yet....I am also the worst person for getting distracted, and finding distractions! I can spend hours every night reading blogs, leaving comments and writing emails and something will have to change. Though I love it so my work load is suffering. I have new work coming in daily and I am way behind. Also, I am really excited that I am in talks about illustrating a childrens book and the time I am spending on this every night I need to start working on that. So for a while i will just be posting on a Wednesday, it will be a big one but just now I can only afford to spend one evening a week on it. I just need to get my head down for a bit .

I will leave you today with a few things I love this week!

people will always need plates.

Elly Wall ceramics







The colour combination in this print by Atelier Lzc (I pretty much love everything they do.)






This print by Beci orpin is on my wish wish wish list (I secretly think I am getting it for my birthday)

Wallpaper, I wish I knew where I found this I have just written "wood paper" in my notes?!?

and the wonderful world of Julie Morstad.

and finally the Toast sale, It is quite unbelievable!!!!

Goodnight, I'll be back soon xxx

I'm ready....

.....and waiting. I hear that snow is coming. My friends have it and I want it. If I wake up in the morning and there is snow I think i just might pee my pants. I have an important meeting tomorrow and won't be back for a few days. Good things are happening, I may be able to share soon. Also, little Miss Sunshine comes out tomorrow on Dvd, this film is heart warming and bittersweet and sent me on an emotional rollercoaster, but ended with me laughing out loud and crying simultaneously, go see! xxxx

This is a detail of one of the four commissioned paintings on Cornwall. This is Penzance including the Jubilee pool (an art deco masterpiece). I am still working on them even though I was hoping to have them finished last week. I can't show it all as I know the couple read this blog so just a sneaky peak I'm afraid.

I got shampoo in my eye today in the shower after swimming. I haven't done that since I was a kid. I know now why I used to scream! xx

Hygge

I love buttons so much. On my recent trip to London I could not help myself in Liberty, I just had to buy a few, they have some beautiful ones. The thing is I never do anything with them. At the moment they just sit in jars and bowls and tubes everywhere waiting for jobs.

So anyway......

I had a revelation today! I have never felt completely happy in my studio since moving in 18 months ago. I didn't ever have the time to paint it white properly so I have the remnants of a toddlers sky and clouds inspired bedroom. I really need to redecorate and reorganise but it is such a big job there is just no time at all at the moment. I know I should really make the time as it is the space i spend at least 10 hours a day in there it really should be as important as the rest of the house.

So what happened? What revelation?

I lit a candle!!!! That's all, not just any old candle but a 'never a dull day' candle a dear friend bought for me. The smell is Vine tomato, and love it so. It reminds me of greenhouses and Summer and on a day like today, that has not stopped raining, smells and hopes of Summer are more than welcome. I thoroughly recommend this candle, it is a bit pricey but worth every penny, the added warmth and light just finally made my studio feel like home. It has most definitely changed my mood today and my studio is 'Hygge' at last.

This is a Danish word that I have been brought up with. I don't think I have ever been to my Mum's house without there being candles lit and a real feeling of Hygge. For a really good explanation of the word, go here or here. This is also a great shop in London, and this is one of my favourite blogs. So there we go, Hygge in a nutshell!

And finally, this wonderful piece arrived today from the lovely Julie at Handmaid. It is so much nicer in the flesh and I have just the place for it. So a very good day was had by all. Thank you!

Oh and I nearly forgot last nights Joanna Newsom was magical. She is so so talented, her voice is truly unique and sounds more sophisticated live than on her albums. She played with a full orchestra which was mesmerising. If you have the chance to see her on this tour, go see, you will not be disappointed if just for her kooky nature and performance. Goodnight folks.

Smell Summer! xxx

"Happy harbour"

We had a weekend of entertaining and visiting so last night we cosied up for a couple of films. My choice was June Bug. I have been wanting to hire this for months, seduced by the cover. DO judge a book by its cover. What a charming little film. It is character based film where the main character is an art dealer who is going to meet her in laws from a quite different culture for the first time. I loved it. Some of the stills were art themselves. So recommended. Then we watched Miami Vice. At this point I promptly closed my eyes and fell asleep!!!!!!!

Tonight, I am going to see the lovely harp playing, talented singer that is Joanna Newsom at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. I think it's going to be wonderful, I will let you know. Until tomorrow x

More spiced tea vicar?!?

Hello everyone and welcome to the International tea party, organised by the fantastic Risa.

I bravely posted a photo so here I am having my first cup of tea of the day from my favourite little mug by Royal Copenhagen. Lo and behold I realised I don't own a proper tea cup. How utterly un English of me!
To make up for that I am wearing my favourite Orla Kiely teacup wellington boots to the party.

Later I am going to serve some spiced apple tea (dead easy) in these Moroccan style glasses from Ikea.

SPICED APPLE TEA
Makes 6 glasses
Ingredients:
2 pints boiling water
3 tea bags
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups 100% apple juice or cider (cider is nicest!!!!)
Cinnamon sticks

Directions: Add tea bags to boiling water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add apple juice/cider and reheat. Pour into mugs. Add a stick of cinnamon to each.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

and I am longing for this lovely cosy by one of my favourite embroiderers Poppy Treffry

I would love a nice slice of cake or a biscuit or two but NO I am on a major diet so that in six months time I can fit into a wedding dress in July.
I hope everyone is having fun, off to finish some painting. Warm wishes to all xxx

Wine?

Come join the virtual tea party tomorrow. To find out more visit Risa's blog. This vintage illustration is delightful. I'd like a glass of wine rather than tea I think!

`There's PLENTY of room!' said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.
`Have some wine,' the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.
Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. `I don't see any wine,' she remarked.
`There isn't any,' said the March Hare.
`Then it wasn't very civil of you to offer it,' said Alice angrily.
`It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited,' said the March Hare.
`I didn't know it was your table,' said Alice; `it's laid for a great many more than three.'
`Your hair wants cutting,' said the Hatter. He had been looking at Alice for some time with great curiosity, and this was his first speech.
`You should learn not to make personal remarks,' Alice said with some severity; `it's very rude.'

See you all tomorrow. Project catwalk has just started again. That is it now every Thursday for me. There are not many programmes I watch but I love this!xxx

Sara rocks

I have just been sorting through our photographs of Paris that remind me of this.

Sara Fanelli, one of my favourite illustrators......ever!

She fantastically combines drawing with collage with such charming results. This book Pinocchio, is my favourite book of hers, they are all amazing, but this is pretty thick and has 190 pages of illustrations.

Off to spend the rest of the evening on the sofa after a very productive but tiring day!

Goodnight x