This week I harvested my first ever crop of potatoes. These were late potatoes planted in exuberant mood at the height of the summer having been on my new allotment for 6 weeks. I was desperate to plant something as you can imagine after having waited years to get a lotty. They grew like topsy for weeks but then the frost got them – yes … Continue reading Hares and Harvest
PLANNING for PEACE I teach a private weekly watercolour class for 18 super people. The task of getting 39 weekly watercolour classes planned for the academic year 18-19 has been exciting, hard and satisfying. Ultimately has given my poor old mind peace instead of constantly thinking about what to paint for next class each week. I decided to get to grips with my planning as … Continue reading Planning a Year’s Watercolour Classes
Today I dedicated myself to drawing and painting badgers. This week I have been asked by two separate people if I had any badger paintings to sell. I only have one which isn’t brilliant and was painted years ago. Since then I hope I have improved my painting a bit and so I decided to focus on these gorgeous creatures. Here are my rough sketches … Continue reading Badger Bliss
Toucans to me are endlessly paintable. Between their phenomenal beaks and dramatic plumage in a rainbow of colours they have a charm and antic personality that draws me in. They move slow and then suddenly fast – they incline and rock and that wink! Talking of winking – the toucan’s eye has a lot of layers and has a feeling of being embedded in that … Continue reading Watercolour Toucan Demo
A few months ago on a gloriously hot spring day I went with a friend to Pitt Mill in Watchet, Somerset. I had heard about Two Rivers Paper on the internet and covetously read enticing descriptions about its magical properties: its double sizing, its rough deckle edges and its content of cotton linters and linen. But for a while I balked at the slightly more … Continue reading Two Rivers Paper – a handmade dream
LONG HARD WINTER After a long 4 wintry months of recovery from a full hysterectomy and then the disruption of Beast from the East – I am finally emerging from my hibernation and getting a wiggle on artwise. The above blue bottle still life was what I painted for a new watercolour group at Chapel Cottage Studio this week. We used this limited palette of … Continue reading What’s New in the Studio this Month
Adorable Nursery Animal Art For the animal loving parent who would add some natural charm to their child’s nursery may I present my top 6 best-selling critters! I painted the originals in watercolour and loved capturing their antics and moods. The archival prints that I make based on very high resolution scans of the original watercolours are archival and will not fade for decades. I … Continue reading 6 of the Best Nursery Animal Prints
