Two things keeping me very entertained today in between packing my suitcase.

The new Emiliana Torrini album

and this has had me in stitches all morning, clearly too much time on my hands. Try it!

Is Summer here?

Today is the first Sunny day we have had in weeks and weeks and it feels a bit like Summer...yes really! We had just given up on our Summer and next week we are going for a week to a villa in an Andalucian village called Colmenar in the Malaga mountains, lots of eating, reading, swimming, playing games and falling asleep to the sound of goat bells in the SUN. Pure bliss and more than needed. I have tried using a fake tan so I feel a little betere with less clothes on but I now look like an oompa loompa. I have to face facts that I was not meant to be brown...or orange even and that pale IS interesting! Thank you all for the lovely comments about the cross stitch kits in the last post, I will let you know as soon as I know anything more.
Hope everyone else sees some Sun this weekend. Bye for now x

stitching

I'll start with the very exciting news. The wonderful Kate at Bothy threads has created 4 cross stitch kits from my paintings. Here are 2 of them. It is such a thrill to see my work in this tactile form. They will be widely available very soon but are just in the final packaging stages. More details when I know them. Oh, and they will also be available on the brand new gallery website which is coming along very nicely and will be launched in about a month.

So what happened to August? Sorry for lack of posts. Thank you all for the comments and emails and sorry I haven't had the energy to reply.
The gallery was crazy busy for the last 6 weeks and since I haven't been very well for nearly a month now my fantastic family chipped in and did a superb job of running it resulting in an amazing month. Thank you thank you thank you to them. I am starting to feel normal again now (!) and contemplating entering the studio again. Sorry to all the people who are waiting for commissions. I have had many many emails asking about available originals. Right now I will have to point you in the direction of Baxters gallery, Dartmouth, Serena Hall Gallery, Southwold and Avalon Art in Marazion who all have just a few paintings available. I have no originals in my gallery or in the studio due to the busy Summer season but hard work is on the cards to amend that soon so please be patient.

I shall be back soon with more news but that is me for today. xxx

My orchid is blooming, the secret is pay it no attention and don't water it.

New in the gallery

Pheweeeeee, Summer is here! It is hot hot hot!!! The smell of bbq's is drifting in through my studio windows and the sound of seagulls clearing up after a busy day of tourists is making me smile.
Long may it last. As promised just a few things in the gallery this week. More over the weekend.

New painting in this week from Julia Ogden entitled Meadowsweet.

I love the new tea towels Poppy Treffry has brought out. They are literally flying out the door.


Pretty flipping excited to be getting some jewellery from Lynsey Walters in a couple of weeks, certain to raise a smile.

If anyone is interested, we do do mail order you know :)

And finally, great news, a lovely lady called Kriket has moved into the mezzanine level of the old chapel where my gallery is, she is selling her own jewellery and work by other jewellers. If there are any jewellers out there wishing to display work , the please contact her through her website here. It is so good to have the place full and buzzing creatively. Come visit us this Summer! I'll buy you a scone!

Blue skies

Wishing I was going to Cornwall this Summer walking that path over to St Michaels mount

I am doing a swap with the very talented Gennine , patiently waiting for my birdies to fly over from Mexico. I love the blog world for these opportunities, to share work with other wonderful and creative people and allowing friendships to begin.

Where has Summer gone? Dark skies and rain here, makes for more dramatic paintings from me though. We have doubled the size of the gallery this week and its suddenly got really busy. Schools break up today, so no more painting for the next 6 weeks. I am turning into a gallery assistant from tomorrow. I want to share with you some of the stunning things we sell now by so many talented artists from the UK. Will share in the next few days. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Rome Outdoors

Rome was, hot, beautiful, tiring, touristy, dusty, loud, entertaining, green, sun drenched, spectacular and surprising.

The Trevi fountain floored me as did the white baroque architecture against a cloudless blue sky but who can enjoy the Sistine Chapel with 500 hot people in the same room as you?

I had a love hate relationship with Rome, not to be done again in the month of July but we walked and saw and ate and laughed so I loved it for that.

Sailing by

Please forgive my absence. So much going on, doubling the size of gallery, working with several companies on some exciting projects, trying to create a website but changing my mind every day, and off to Rome on Monday for our one year wedding anniversary.

Where does time go????????

I love how my Blyton books echo my Popang photo frame, and thats me....hello! and my treasured Cathy Miles bird. Amy Ruppel is having an online sale today, there are still some left.

I have enjoyed June so far, a little bit of calm was needed. I am enjoying looking and living in the house and making decorating decisions. I am loving eating outdoors nearly every day. I am enjoying the flowers coming to life in a garden we have not ever seen through Summer yet. I am enjoying putting together a new website for the gallery showcasing the wonderful work of the 20 artists and designers I am now selling. So it is calmer but still lots to do. But mostly I am enjoying the cloudless bright blue sky hanging over my head and the peace and quiet today.

Jewellery above by Becky Crow and flower brooch by Abbot and Ellwood

I am happy with this pair titled 'a good day beachcombing'. You can see a well worn easel. I am working on the very last two paintings now for the show which will make 25. A signing session of some exclusive limited edition prints for the show is happening in the morning. We are publishing 7 in total. They will be available only through myself and Baxters gallery. A small edition of 25 of each will be available. More on that soon. I made the most of hubby being away and had a wonderful dinner with an old friend in a pub high up on a hill overlooking the sea last night. Lovely fish stew and berry pavlova. I am especially excited at the moment about going to see the wonderful Feist next Thursday night in the Palace Theatre, Manchester. I will leave you with this that makes me very happy indeed. Actually this one makes me happier, the video is magical, you can't not like it. Bear with it though, it may sound strange at the beginning.

Another finished and available from Baxters, Devon.

I'm grumpy today because hubby has jetted off to Cannes film festival without me. He will be working, and having meetings but even so, he packed lots of pairs of shorts, and his tuxedo so I imagine there will be a bit of red carpet action, star spotting, chmpagne drinking and watching films on the beach in the sun! Next year I am going!!!! x

Chez Amy

This week has been hectic, I had a long long

drive on Tuesday (nearly 12 hours) to deliver the 19 paintings ready for the show opening next Friday. But I broke the journey up with an overnight stay in the best B&B I have ever stayed in, great company, great magazines by the bed, Clinique products, soft and fluffy towels, and a gentle wake up call. Its called Sion and Amy's house and it is THE most delightful place to stay. They have amazing taste in everything and wonderfully hospitable. They just so happen to also be our great friends. It was like waking up in a beautiful Summer Sky. The sun is still shining and busy is good xxx

How to start a Sunday, breakfast outside and playing cards in the Sun (note to self, eat outside more often). Finishing paintings for the Devon show. This one is very big, 30x40 inches. Also available as a limited edition print with a edition size of just 20. Available from Baxters Gallery, Dartmouth.

Hope everyone is having a sunny and happy weekend!

Lost.....for......words!!!! Photo take from Daily Mail website, full story here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=563975&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

Happy days

I was just a little bit excited when the postman arrived today. This little fisherman came to live with us by the sea! The manos shop is open. Thank you ladies. This sunshine is making everyone smile....happy days!

a corner of my studio

Works in progress.

For the past few months I have been working towards my two woman show at Baxters in Dartmouth. So I have been painting Devon and the more I paint it the more I love the place. I have two weeks left so I may be a little quiet as long hours are now required. The show starts on Friday 24th May and myself and Sasha Harding will both be there on the evening. I will hopefully post more details soon but if anyone has any enquiries please email me or contact the gallery directly. The gallery website will have images up there before the show. I am honoured to be showing alongside Sasha, she has been a favourite artist of mine for quite some time now. More soon.

something to smile at this weekend

I have to respond to Camillas links with this one which made me laugh sooooo much last night. Yes, I watch Britains got talent, yes.......I need a life! Hope you are having a dryer weekend than us here in blighty!

evening light

Rockpool 1

Rockpool 2



Dunes 1

Dunes 2

High tide 1


High tide 2

Golden sky 1

Golden sky 2

I've been doing these small paintings over the last few weeks in the evenings. They are all from my recent trip to Devon of some of the beaches we visited. Some new colours have emerged when the light is different in the studio and I am really pleased with the results. They are for sale in my gallery at the moment at £90 the pair. I had a bit of trouble displaying them on this page as a pair. They are 8x8 inches each. If anyone is interested please send me an email. Thanks for looking.