Nature takes over

I was so taken with Oxford, what a beautiful city, steeped with History. We just had a few hours there so I shouldn't admit it but we did go on an one of those tourist open top buses headphones and all. I am so glad we did because we learnt so much about the city. Sean was dying with embarassment though. I love this last photo, Nature has taken over.

Several red dots made the show a real pleasure, despite the nerves. My voice actually went towards the end of the day and today surprise surprise I feel exhausted so I took the day off. The show runs until 3rd June. No rest for the wicked though so straight back to the easel tomorrow to start work on my 'B is for' exhibition for Baxters in Dartmouth.
Hope everyone is having a great Bank holiday weekend.

Harbour kiss

This has been one of the most challenging 6 weeks of my career so far, but 27 paintings later and I am ready to go tomorrow. I am really pleased with the body of work I have produced and i am looking forward to hearing the reactions to my newer work.We are travelling to Oxford in the morning to deliver the work, then I am looking forward to exploring the city for the afternoon and evening. I have never been to the city centre before and am very excited to discover the beautiful old architecture of the Universities it is so famous for.

Then Saturday is the opening of the show, I will be there from 11-5 and really looking forward to it but also very nervous, talking about your work can be challenging but I always seem to learn from myself when I speak, talking about my work helps me to understand where it came from if that makes sense.

I had all the work photographed today so I may be printing a few, and perhaps opening an etsy shop.

I will be back for sure a lot more regularly next week. Hope you all have a great Bank holiday weekend. Off I go to face the dilemma of What do I wear?!? Something colourful......or black?!?xxx

painting jugs

I have given myself an excuse to be buying on ebay. I need beautiful jugs to paint. the rule is close to becoming one in one out. I have a stash of vases that I am prepared to let go if need be.

So, I am very nearly ready for my Solo show. Just two paintings left. I will have 24 in total featuring these new ones and my bright coloured harbour ones. I think my invitations will arrive here tomorrow, should anyone like an invite to the private view on saturday 5th May 11-5, please email me.

Very excited to see Matte Stephens and Ashley Goldberg limited edition prints over at Velocity, I have indulged, a gift for a friend....and a gift for me! see you soonxxxxxx

another year older

Here is another painting in my new collection ready for my solo show. I've got 16 finished so far but still a few to go, and some pieces on paper to frame and time is ticking quite rapidly now. But I took the weekend off!!!!
Had the most wonderful time. I was whisked away on Sunday night to a beautiful hotel on Llandudno seafront called Osborne House. The bed was so high it had ladders up to it. We had afternoon tea sitting in the window people watching and listening to Punch and Judy. The sun came out yesterday late morning and after a four mile stroll around the Great Orme we had ice cream on the pier and played Bingo. Pretty much the perfect day for me. And now back to my brandspankingneweasel! that's easel not weasel!!!
Thank you so much for the kind birthday wishes through comments and emails xxxx

I forgot to say, the frame is from Popang. dreamy!

the quiet before the storm

I'm quiet because I am busy busy busy. I knew this was going to be a busy time, galleries get busy at Easter but not quite like this. Every night is a late one but I have taken to going swimming 8.30 ish to wind down for the day and have a quiet time to think then spend the rest of the evening planning the following day. I have Sarah coming in the morning from

Sarah Wiseman gallery to chat about the finer details of my show and talk about the placement of the works. My new pieces are developing nicely. I will post a few more images on Friday. I had an early birthday present in the form of this frame. I fell in love with this company at Christmas when I found the stall at Spitalfields, but you can also find them at Liberty.

I am excited about a night away on Sunday which I think a certain someone has planned for me as a birthday treat. Really looking forward to a day enjoying this glorious weather we are having here and away from the studio.

A couple of other fab things from Thorsten Van Elten

These vases

and this oversized teacup plantpot

also enjoying the colour week Julie of Handmaid has organised. I shall join in next time for sure.

Be back soon x

New direction

Gosh, where is the year going. I am trying new things. Working hard for my solo show at Sarah Wiseman gallery that starts 5th May. More info soon.

Can I just say how much the spring flowers are bringing joy to my life this year. For some reason I am noticing blossom, buds, bursts of colour so much more this year and filling my home with them. Simple pleasures.

I have to mention the book by Kat Heyes, Happy Campers. Everyone should own this book, if simply for the recipes. A fun and also informative book about the joys of camping. Roll on the summer so we can get those tents out and do a bit of cloud watching, star gazing and mmmm bbq's. Bye for now xx

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