This painting will be heading off to the This Diverse Landscape exhibition at the Inspired by... gallery in the North York Moors National Park.
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Unusually for me I used reference material to start off with. This was mainly because I wanted to capture a particular day that I was on site walking around Danby. The day itself was changeable in terms of the weather but inspiring with lots of light (and rain!) which dazzled on wet surfaces giving the impression of the roads becoming rivers.
On this site visit I was so aware of how much water was running off the moorland and down into the rivers. Moorland that had recently been burned back and was not capable of holding or slowing down the water and river banks which had been reinforced to hold back rising waters. Learn more about the importance of our moorland through the Moor to restore project.
It was the wetness of this day which inspired me to adopt the blue-ish theme to the painting rather than replicate the colours in front of me.
As with all my paintings I like to start off with making some marks, even if those marks are going to be covered up completely. It's a bit like a warm-up but also helps avoid any procrastination that being faced with a large white surface can induce. Getting those marks down feels like getting started, preparing for the long run.
I'd bought some Wallace Seymour drawing stones a few years ago and other than my sketchbook they'd not really had much of an outing. I'm a big fan of the Wallace Seymour range of oil paints and you will fine a range of their colours in amongst my oil paints.
I thought it would be wonderful to use drawing stones which originated from the North York Moors and I set about carving up my large 122 x 122 cm deep cradled board. I supplemented the marks with some R&F pigment sticks in black and a mars red.
Once the marks were down and I roughly knew how I was going to carve up the painting I then started with adding a nice bright base colour. I also started blocking out and defining my shapes.
I choose the following colours for my palette which were heavy on the red side but the indigo blue provided a really lovely range of cool blues once mixed with the titanium white and some burnt umber. I really like this palette as it does create some beautiful colour mixes and plenty of darks.
Once the initial blocks of colour and shapes were in places I started to play around with letting the paint run and allow it to create interesting, organic marks to work with.
I then set about putting the details into the sky and ensuring there were lots of movement and some good bright areas in the painting.
Building up the land was challenging and quite a tussle between trying to keep the painting looking atmospheric whilst also ensuring it was recognisable as the place it was based on. The lines: dry-stone walls; hedgerows; roads; pathways; rivers, were an important part of the painting as it illustrated the range of visible boundaries in the area. They would also provide a feeling of perspective and distance in the work.
I used glazes of colour to harmonise the painting and ensure that the colours worked together. In doing this I lost some of the brights so kept working in to the painting to make sure I didn't lose the brightness in the top left hand of the painting.
I didn't like how the painting was tightening up which was mainly because I was focusing too much on reference material. I started to mess it up a little by allowing more of the paint to run and create some interesting marks and shapes to work from.
This did create some interesting effects but also quite a mess that I needed to pull back from. I started working into the painting with some gold to complement the copper which I had already embedded into the foreground. This helped to bring back some of the brightness to the paint as well as suggest areas for using gold leaf for some further line work.
I worked into the painting and quietened down some of the marks and dribbles. They are still part of the painting but not shouting as much and create some nice contrasts between all the different marks.
In doing this I started to lose contrast again so built it back up which soon helped to create depth to the painting and started to pull it together. It's at this stage of a painting where I am finding opportunities to paint in pathways, rivers, roads and feels almost like discovering a new landscape.
I added more details and used gold leaf to trace boundaries and flashes of light colours to suggest a river or wet road.
I kept the foreground without too much detail as there was already a lot of texture from the marble dust I had used. Instead I used gold leaf and scratched back to the orange base layer to create interesting marks and pops of colour which tied in with the rest of the painting as well as an earlier painting Burn back.
And after months of tussling the painting very quickly came together. It was almost as if I couldn't believe it was done as I left it resting a few weeks before I added some linseed oil to bring out some of those darks.
I've put together a work in progress video so you can get more of a feel for all the different stages this painting went through. Lots more ugly stages than I've shown in this blog that's for sure!
The next stage will be to have the painting professionally photographed and colour matched so that I have a good image of the painting for my records and also as I intend to create a limited edition print of the painting ready for the launch of the exhibition in May 2024.
The North York Moors is a place of diverse landscapes of moorland vistas, the endless horizon of the North Sea, rugged coast, sweeping dales and picturesque villages.
This exhibition is an artist’s emotional response and interpretation of these diverse landscapes and changing climates, light, altitudes and terrains.
From leafy lush grassland to the vast open spaces of the moors and unpredictable sea where solitude can be found and an artist’s journey can begin.
]]>Following my successful exhibition with Studio Vault in 2022 I will be returning later this month with a new collection, just in time for when Emily moves into her larger gallery space.
To celebrate the launch of this collection I have had a limited edition of Tumultuous (pictured) printed which will be available from the start of the exhibition.
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The sun reflects on the clouds as they move in the wind. A rich, atmospheric painting which captures the moving light across the land. Tumultuous is a 65 x 65 cm painting which has been beautifully framed in a white tray frame. Painted with oils and gold leaf.
To celebrate the launch of this collection I have had a limited edition of Tumultuous printed which will be available from the start of the exhibition.
The moorlands dazzle with a luxurious glow. Wisps of smoke dance in the valley below. The tell-tale signs of the annual burn-back season, a devastating reminder of its lasting effects on the land and wildlife.
Autumn's lights is the first painting to be completed for this collection where I was experimenting with mark making and where incorporating gold leaf and other metals was becoming the norm.
This 55 x 55 cm painting has been crafted with oils, gold leaf and finished with a simple white bespoke tray frame. Take a look at this work in progress video to get a feel for the layers of colour and texture and to see that flash of gold leaf.
A vibrant, evocative landscape capturing the movement of light. This gorgeous painting features bright turquoise tones and vivid pops of orange, sure to add a splash of energy to any room.
Smoke on the Water is a large painting on a deep cradled board (92 x 92 cm) and has been crafted with oils, pigments, and a cold wax finish.
Frosty fields glisten in the sun, wisps of clouds stretch out above. I can see for miles is a 65 x 65 cm painting which has been beautifully framed in a white tray frame. Painted with oils and gold leaf.
Take a look at this work in progress video to see how it developed.
As nightfall brings an earlier chill and vibrant colors, autumn's mists drift along, transforming the sky with enchanting clouds. Autumn mists is one of four 55 x 55 cm paintings which have been beautifully framed in a white tray frame and painted with oils and gold leaf.
Take a look at this work in progress video to see how it developed.
A warm wind with its big billowy clouds. So much going on in this 55 x 55 cm painting with its soft pinks, greys and blues.
I almost gave up on this painting as the cadmium red I used as a base layer just took over and turned everything barbie pink - on trend I realise but not for me.
I left it facing the wall for a few weeks and came back with fresh eyes and pushed the palette more towards blues and greys and dampened down those pinks so that they are not dominating. Much happier with it now and it looks quite fresh and dare I say it spring like.
Beautifully framed in a white tray frame this 55 x 55 cm painting has been crafted with oils and gold leaf.
Take a look at this work in progress video to see how it developed.
As steam rises from the moors it catches the breeze and drifts across the horizon. Drifting on the wind is one of four 55 x 55 cm paintings which have been beautifully framed in a white tray frame and painted with oils and gold leaf.
Memories of days watching clouds scudding across the sky and casting shadows over the land. Exploring remote coves and isolated islands. Watching eagles, otters and seals. Mindful of the tide and where the loch goes out to sea.
A rich, atmospheric painting which captures the moving light across the land, Turning Tides is an original painting on a deep cradled board. It comes unframed as the cradled board is designed to sit flat against a wall. It is painted using oils, pigments, gold leaf and cold wax.
This statement piece at 91.5 x 152 cm on deep cradled board is just stunning. It is one to see in the flesh and just see all those rich colours working together.
These paintings are all 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) paintings framed in a hand painted St Ives frame. From left left to right:
1. Waiting for the storm to pass; 2. Lakeland lights VII; 3. New dawn; 4. Lakeland lights VIII; 5. Rushing clouds; 6. Lakeland lights III; Lakeland lights II; Lakeland lights V.
The exhibition will run from 24 February through to May at the Studio Vault, Settle, North Yorkshire.
No longer stuck in the home office sat in front of a screen or at Leeds train station wondering whether I'll manage to get home. Now I have the most wonderful commute through the woods and along the canal to my studio. It truly is glorious even when the weather is bad, which to be fair is a regular occurrence.
The downside of being a self-employed artist is that it can be stressful if sales don't come through, workshops don't fill to capacity and if you have to drive through Edinburgh when you really haven't got a clue where you are and everyone seems to be beeping their horns! Such impatient drivers in that city!
However at the moment the good things far outweigh those stresses and I am heading in to 2024 with new adventures booked that I am really, really excited about and new ideas to develop and adapt my business.
But let's cut to the chase. I know you are all itching to know about what's not been working for me... surely it can't all be sunshine and roses? So here's a bit of a review of some of the things that have worked well, not so well and more importantly what I'm going to do differently in 2024.
Half way through 2023 I had already crammed so much in to my diary that I was fed up with driving around the country. Seriously that beast of a car of ours did some miles and clocked up a total of 5 round trips to Scotland last year! Generally I do like to travel but I'm much happier walking or jumping on public transport so I can switch off and day-dream out of the window.
Where possible I tried to combine deliveries in one go but still it was too much driving and there were times it took a couple of days to recover. My plan was to cut back in 2024 but I'm not sure that's working out especially as I've now started my project with the North York Moors National Park.
What I have decided to do this year is to courier my work to galleries where possible. I know a lot of artists do this already and sometimes you really do have to say to yourself am I better off just outsourcing some of this work?
However, the reality is most of my driving is associated with delivering workshops so longer term I am going to have to think about how many workshops I offer which involve travelling and also how workshops are delivered ie face-to-face or online. This does mean that in 2024 I'll still be racking up the miles but at least I am doing some thinking, albeit longer term, to address this.
There was a time when I would just jump at the opportunity to exhibit at an art fair or gallery or workshop venue but I've realised over this last year that not all of them are right for me or my work, or don't align with my own values, something I never really considered before.
I've tried a few new things in the last 12 months - new venues, new galleries, new fairs and not all of them have worked for me. What I've realised is that it's okay so long as you are also prepared to say to yourself that didn't work so I'm not going to do that again. It's all too easy to say ah well it may be different next year but when your resources are spread thinly you need to divert them to activities that are going to pay the bills and also be enjoyable.
It is okay to try something out and for it not to work. It's not a reflection on you or your work.
You may have noticed that I am the queen of cramming stuff into my schedule. So how will I find the time to develop my own practice and ensure that my work is moving along? My planners are out at this moment and I am ensuring that I have blocked out a good amount of time at the end of the year for this. Although I sometimes have to flex my schedule if a collection is taking longer, or a new opportunity comes up I do try and be strict and if something is important block time out for it.
My practice is developing through each collection I create but sometimes there is a need to learn something new to help reenergise the creative process. Learning something new can take longer to work out how to use a particular medium and then to work out whether it is something you can incorporate into your current process. That needs time to be able to fully enjoy and is something that I am struggling with at the moment.
With my project with the NYMNP I have challenged myself to start using sketchbooks again and working outside. For this to work for me I wanted to use different mediums, ones that I'm not familiar with as well as the challenge of working outdoors which I'm not particularly comfortable with.
To help me with this I decided to enrol for one of Karen Stamper's online sketchbook courses. If you don't know Karen well she is the queen of sketch booking and collaging and I would highly recommend. I am still working through the course but I've already got some ideas which I'm wanting to experiment with in my paintings and I am also taking baby steps with the sketchbook work for the NYMNP project.
It's slow progress and that can be frustrating when you are proficient in one medium to basically have to start from scratch with another, but it can also be fun and exciting and amazing when you come away with more ideas for your paintings.
This year I set myself a target of finishing a collection early in December so that my last week in the studio could be used to rejig the space. Now the collection wasn't quite finished but rather than eating into the studio rejigging time I got it to a point where I could leave it until the new year.
Why was this important? How I use the space has grown and changed over the last 12 months. I am in the the studio all the time now so some small adaptions were needed such as getting rid of things I didn't use and making space for things I constantly use so that they are easy to hand. More importantly I needed to make more space for my paintings in progress as I was regularly having two collections on the go and not enough space to hang them.
I've been in this studio for 3 years now and this annual review of the space and how I use it has developed over those years as you can see from these photos.
The back room (above) is very much the office, packing and storage space. This has changed quite a bit of the last two years with the creation of additional storage space for boards and paintings and more recently framing up my annual planners and rejigging the desk space.
The front room is my painting space and this has had quite a bit of work done to it this year to put up batons on the wall for hanging more paintings whilst I work on them. Fred the cheese plant is also taking over as he and his other plant buddies just love the north facing studio space.
Targets are important as they help me work out if I want to achieve a gross annual turnover of X then what I need to achieve on a monthly basis. Just doing that exercise can really be a bit of a reality check when you take into account how many sales you need to meet that goal.
It can be hard though as you really can't predict whether a gallery is going to have a sale for you or not and this year has been exceptionally difficult for most of my galleries and there's been a drop in this income stream to levels I've not seen for a good number of years now. However my business is diverse so where one income stream has been struggling I have found others have flourished so my of overall gross turnover target has been met but in a slightly different way to the way I'd originally thought when setting the targets.
This is the challenge with being self employed but I am continuing to look at how to diversify my business to spread the risk as well a generate new income streams. I also make sure I am keeping track on a monthly basis of where sales are coming from and that feeds into one big spreadsheet which looks back over the years which in turn helps me to determine targets for the following year. I do love a good spreadsheet!
I think we all get a little bit too hung up on feeding the monster that is social media. Towards the end of 2023 I slowed down with my posts because in reality I got too busy and was finding that it was pulling me away from creating new work.
It all came to a head when my engagement on the social platforms just plummeted for no apparent reason and whilst I initially had a bit of a panic I pulled myself together and decided that I couldn't justify the time I was spending creating posts. So I reduced my posting by more than half! Drastic I know but I actually feel quite positive about it and tend to find it much easier to post when I have something to say.
I also found myself getting so hung up about instagram and all my social posts were geared up to that platform when in fact most traffic to my website was coming through from Pinterest.
So for 2024 I am going to continue with this regime of reduced social media posts and instead concentrate on more content on my blogs and in particular sharing with you my adventures on my North York Moors project. The blogs I have control of as it is hosted on my own website and you'll get to read a little bit more about me and what it inspires me, not something you can capture all that well on the socials.
Workshops are as popular as ever and I have been overwhelmed by how far people have travelled to my workshops at the Craft House in Yorkshire where my studio is based. We've had regular travellers from down South, Wales and Scotland as well as people flying in from Ireland, Canada, US and Bermuda!
I have also been in discussions about running a workshop in Canada in 2025 and just as I was about to close the studio for the festive break an offer to run a workshop in Ireland came through. I'll be finalising those details when I'm back in the studio but hope to be offering the workshop in June 2024.
I love teaching, the socialising, sharing ideas and learning new things, but I am very clear in my mind that I don't want the teaching part of my business to be more than 50% of my turnover and that's because painting is my passion and in reality the reason why people want to come and do my workshops. Getting that balance can be difficult though and it is the teaching income that has kept me ticking over when gallery sales have been slow this year.
Although the workshops seem to be a big hit with people I still like to review them, make improvements and where necessary pull them if I feel they don't work for me. For 2024 I have had quite a significant revamp of workshops, I've dropped one and introduced another, making sure they tie in with each other with the aim of creating another progression route for people.
I have also reviewed prices and reluctantly increased them to cover the rise in the cost of materials and ensuring that I cover my salary. I have also updated and added to the workshop notes so that they provide extensive step-by-step guidelines for participants when they return home from the workshops.
To continue with the development of workshops I am trialling a masterclass with a "safe-group" who are joining me in Cornwall... not sure safe-group is the right term as they are a bit bonkers to be honest! This may become part of my workshop programme towards the end of next year depending on how it works out. I am also going to dip my toes into offering an online pre-recorded workshop for the many people who are overseas and have asked when I am going to go online!
So quite a few options there if you fancy joining me in 2024. Check out my workshop schedule for available dates and venues.
Still with workshops, I'm so pleased that I'll be returning to Cornwall again in April 2024 to run a number of classes. I feel so lucky to be able to spend a whole three weeks in this glorious place working with such a range of artists, socialising, experimenting and just creating our own little artist's residency. This has been such a wonderful experience for me where I've also developed some life long friendships.
The workshops have become really popular and were booked up within a few months and this time I have a few people flying in specially to take the workshops which is fabulous as I know they will also fall in love with this part of the world.
I do love being by the sea and even on it (although I don't really have the sea legs). Because of this I've also managed to book a place on a Sail Britain trip in the summer - a kind of working holiday. I am excited as well as apprehensive as it's definitely going to be out of my comfort zone sharing a small space with strangers for a whole week. But boy what an opportunity to sail around Skye and the small islands, exploring beaches that you can only reach by boat. Not to mention the weather and the inspiration which will no doubt fuel a new collection of work. I am very excited to see where this takes my work.
I started my two year long project with the North York Moors towards the end of 2023. I am so excited about it as it creates so many opportunities for me to develop my work as well as learn more about conservation and be able to do what really inspires me and that is to walk the land.
But it is a bit of a big beast and because of this I decided that I needed a little help to make sure I got the most out of this project and so enlisted the support of professional coach, Jennie Sanderson. It's a bit of a strange one for me as I hadn't really used a coach before but when I bumped into Jennie earlier in 2023 it got me thinking about how I could use her expertise to get me through some blockages with my project.
So I have had two coaching sessions with Jennie so far and she has helped me breakdown my project plans in to bite sized chunks, she's also helped me deal with some blockages around the project which I was avoiding and going into 2024 she'll be helping me with my planning for the year. I have really found it helpful to be able to talk through some of the projects I want to do and she's helped me clarify what's and why's by asking me to explain what I mean, tell her why certain things are important.
I think this has really helped me to pull to the forefront of what I want to do and how I articulate my work the things that I am really passionate about. I'm not sure whether up until now I was really clear about what they were.
Although I am itching to get back into the studio I am instead taking 2 weeks over the festive break and although I have been writing blogs and doing some planning I've done this at quite a relaxed pace and only when I really need to get stuff out of my head and on paper so that I an continue to binge watch some TV.
And that is what I have found over this last year is the need and desire to carve out down time. To do something different whether it is going for a walk to feed the swans with the mister, enjoying growing new things in the garden or hanging upside down doing some aerial yoga. It's been great to be able to explore some new things that help me feel happier and healthier and I am continuing with that theme in 2024!
Happy new year everyone!
]]>If you are familiar with my work then you will know that I love my dark colours so I went straight to my go to colour, indigo. This is such a lovely inky colour which you don't need much of on your palette because it is heavily pigmented.
Next up was magenta but I wanted to ensure I didn't go too heavy on this colour and end up with a very pink painting. So I introduce quinacridone gold so that when mixed with the magenta it would give some really nice rich, warm colours. I don't know about you but magentas and orangey yellows always remind me of India and Indian weddings.
The last colour to add was Paynes grey light as I thought this would add some nice mutated, cooler greys to the palette. Of course not forgetting some titanium white to create some lovely tints and provide light into the painting.
So I started off using the quinacridone gold as a base layer, followed by a layer of magenta. Both are lovely transparent colours that work so well together and create some beautiful glows. I then followed with some indigo but not across the whole board, just the lower half.
Introducing some titanium white and allowing it to mix soon started to create some interesting colours. Have a look at my work in progress video on my YouTube channel for more insights into my process.
I've been incorporating gold leaf into my paintings for a number of years now. I like to use it to create the suggestion of pathways or light on a landscape and I love the glows it creates to paintings. I'd recently seen the work of another artist who uses silver leaf in her paintings and I just loved the cool, shimmering effect that the silver had on the her work. This got me thinking about alternatives to gold leaf and so I ordered some copper from Jacksons Art Supplies as I thought this would really work quite nicely with this painting.
Copper leaf is a lot cheaper than gold leaf and the leaves are a lot thicker and not quite so easy to apply to the painting, even though I was using cold wax which acts as a glue when embedding light materials.
To be honest it was a bit of a faff and I'll have to think about how I use it going forward but once I'd eventually got it to stick I applied some of the quinacridone gold over to push it back and also ensure it was truly embedded in the painting. In the photo below you can see a chunk of copper and how much warmer it looks compared to the more delicate gold leaf marks.
I applied the gold leaf when the painting was dry which allowed me to create some more delicate marks such as these circles which contrast nicely with that splash of copper.
I use squeegees to apply paint and blend paint on my surfaces but more recently I've started using more and more brushes for blending and mark making. I've really enjoyed creating a range of marks in this painting and I think it has made it look and feel more dynamic. Also means I get to use all those brushes I keep purchasing everytime I'm in an art shop!
I love the dry brush marks contrasting with the hard straight lines created by the squeegee.
I have really enjoyed creating this painting. The colours were just so lush and there was no pressure at all to get this finished so I could truly experiment and just see where the colours and mark making took me.
As it's five months before the opening of the exhibition I am going to enjoy having this painting hanging in my house, something I don't always get to do.
As it is such a special painting that I've created a limited edition print of it which is the same size as the original at 50 x 50 cm and like the original is finished with gold leaf. Boy is that stuff a faffy faff to work with!
Each print is finished with a deep bevel mount and you can get hold of a framed print from Artworks in Otley and Giddy Arts in Saltaire. Alternatively you can grab hold of a mounted version of the print directly from my website.
The North York Moors is a place of diverse landscapes of moorland vistas, the endless horizon of the North Sea, rugged coast, sweeping dales and picturesque villages.
This exhibition is an artist’s emotional response and interpretation of these diverse landscapes and changing climates, light, altitudes and terrains.
From leafy lush grassland to the vast open spaces of the moors and unpredictable sea where solitude can be found and an artist’s journey can begin.
]]>My first site visit coincided with a workshop up in Newcastle at the Biscuit Factory so as soon as I was finished I headed down to the Danby National Park Centre and picked up a few more guide books to add to my increasing large collection. There was a really useful one published by the North York Moors National Park which had a handful of small walks that start out from the National Park Centre at Danby.
The book had some really useful commentary and I noticed that most of the walks crossed over from each other so I plotted a route on my new OS online map (this is such a game changer!) which traced some of these walks to create a 9 mile circular route around Danby:
As this was my first site visit for net year's exhibition it was important that I got some really good inspiration to feed into new work. So I set off armed with plenty of snacks, drinks and dressed head to toe in my waterproof gear... it is Yorkshire after all!
When I left Danby I headed towards and up through Ainthorpe and towards Danby Rigg. This was a really nice gentle climb up and it wasn't long before I was looking down onto Danby and getting some really great views.
The weather was changeable which for my work is absolutely perfect for finding inspiration for future paintings. I was armed with my sketchbook but that didn't see the light of day as the rain came down hard and the paths turned into streams running off the moorland. I was really surprised by how much water was running off the moors and finding the easiest routes down which was basically the paths I was walking on.
It truly is beautiful up on Danby Rigg. Very stark. Greys contrasting with bronzes. There wasn't another soul to be seen. Only the grouse hiding in the heather with their clack clacking to keep me company. But it was a joy to be up there and just taking in the views and seeing the weather come and go. Especially seeing the sun shining on the wet roads above Danby turning them into rivers.
As I was coming over the tops of Danby Rigg and heading to Little Fryup dale - yes that name is for real! - the sun broke through the clouds and gave me my first idea for a painting or two. The light was just perfect, very atmospheric and captured both the farmed valley area as well as the managed moorland with the roads cutting through, almost looking like rivers.
What was also interesting were the small circular areas towards the valley where the vegetation changes. Is this as a result of burn-back? They seemed too circular to be natural but this is something I will ask of the NYMNP team when I get to meet them next year.
So watch this space as there will no doubt be another post about how I've developed my ideas based on Little Fryup Dale. And if you want to read more about Fryup (as in the dales and hamlet as opposed to the English breakfast) then there is a really amusing and insightful blog from the English Breakfast Society.
So a drop down into Little Fryup Dale and the water is just pouring off the moors and down the roads and I find that my route along the valley is also very popular with the sheep which has resulted in mud city!
But lots of colour still around with these gorgeous hawthorne and holly berries, rosehips and gorse starting to come out.
Down along the valley and on up to Danby Beacon following the Esk Valley walk. initially a bit of a steep pull up on a rocky path between two fields but as soon as you hit the road you are rewarded with beautiful views and a nice gentle, road further up to Danby Beacon.
I wanted to get my sketchbook out and just draw the lines of the roads reflecting in the sunlight but with the weather, tiredness and also still not being in the habit of sketchbook work I was reluctant to get all my gear out. Something to work on in the future and when back at the studio I soon got out my sketchbook and started working into them some of my ideas for my first work for this exhibition.
I saw a couple of farmers working in the fields and a cyclist bombing down the road but that is all I saw, in terms of people, on this walk until I got to the Beacon. At which point walkers and drivers started coming in from all angles.
The Beacon provides a fantastic 360 degree view from Teeside, Whitby, Glasidale, Danby and despite the clouds now rolling in you could still see a good distance. Although a bit windy and cold at this point the Beacon was a good place to park and have a bite to eat and take in the views before heading back down to the National Park Centre. There was quite a bit of evidence of moorland burning here whether it was managed burn back or from wildfires I wasn't quite sure but the charred remains of the heather added to the sense of desolation.
Walking back down with the clouds over the valley and the contrasting moorland against the patchwork of farmland, the colours and the light were beautiful.
Down to the Centre to pick up a coffee and have a chat with the gallery staff before heading up behind the centre and up through fields running parallel to Lodge Lane where the paths are littered with all sort of different types of mushrooms at this time of year.
Then landing back in Danby village in time for a cake at the bakery. All in all a good day's research, lots of inspiration and a walk I have decided to repeat in January and March 2024 to see how the views change in winter and spring.
If you are interested in doing this walk here is a screenshot of my route taken from the OS map. Clicking on the image will give you a link to the OS maps site. It is approx 9 miles long and is a fairly easy although this can change depending on the weather. It was very wet and cold so some parts of the route did take a little longer but generally give yourself 5 hours to allow for lunch, coffee and view breaks etc. Wear proper walking shoes and be prepared with waterproofs... it's Yorkshire!
This walk is the start of my research for an exhibition at the Inspired by... gallery at Danby Lodge starting on 18 May 2024 called This Diverse Landscape. This will kick-off my larger project looking at Boundaries on the North York Moors which I will be working on over the next two years and will culminate in a solo exhibition in September 2025 and a book publication.
]]>Over the period of the project I will research examples of boundaries (social, physical, natural, man-made) across the North York Moors National Park (NYMNP). Collaborating with the park’s ecologists and moorland communities to develop my understanding of the environmental and social challenges on this landscape, culminating in the publication of a book and an exhibition of paintings in 2025 at the NYMNP “Inspired by” gallery.
The moorlands fascinate me and I am very lucky to live only 15-20 minutes walk away from the moors of West Yorkshire. But this project is going to be quite different as the North York Moors are 2 hours drive away so will involve a fair bit of planning over the next couple of years to schedule visits where I can see how this landscape changes with the changing seasons and to also explore and get to know this land and its people.
I have scheduled a total of 12 site visits over the next two years which will involve walking the land, and collaborating with the NYMNP teams, to create a richer commentary around boundaries and conservation.
The first phase of this project is in a sense a scoping project and runs from November 2023 to May 2024. It will result in a group exhibition in May called This Diverse Landscape, held at the Inspired by... gallery at Danby on the North York Moors.
Through this opportunity I anticipate a shift in my work towards communicating a story. Sketchbook work onsite will become part of my general practice. By pushing myself out of my comfort zone and incorporating outdoor work it will help me learn more about an environment, be more engaged with it, which in turn will come through and inform larger work.
As an artist who currently works in isolation I am looking to push my practice to move towards collaborative work: responding to experts in their field, helping to communicate their messages; working with other creatives to produce a collective response to a particular subject or idea.
Over the next two years I will be documenting my research through blogs and social media so you can see how I am progressing on this project and get to see first hand as I explore this beautiful landscape.
To ensure you don't miss out on my project updates then make sure you are signed up for my monthly newsletter.
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So it's coming up to a year of being self employed as a professional full time artist and I wanted to share my wonderful new commute to work.
]]>One of the big changes was my commute. Prior to the pandemic I was commuting early doors on the train to Leeds and joining that whole bun fight of dealing with cancelled trains, catching sniffles and colds from everyone, not really aware of the changing seasons apart from when it impacted the trains.
My commute to work is now very different. My studio is 3 miles from my home and I have so many options to walk through woods, along the canal or up on the tops.
I am more aware of the changing seasons and what is going on in the surrounding area. There are times when I miss out on my walk because it is just too wet and on those days I really feel a difference, not just in terms of the exercise and being out in nature, but also because of how much processing of ideas I do on those 3 miles to the studio.
My walk generally should take around 40-45 minutes but I do tend to be a little distracted by the dogs I meet and the wildlife. There is always something of interest from the drama of swans coming and going, ducks snaffled by pikes right before my eyes, geese moving up to the canal from the river to nest and hatch masses of noisy goslings, the odd kingfisher and coot, and the wonderful knocking of woodpeckers in spring. The most entertaining are the crows who have cottoned on to me regularly feeding the swans so now follow me through the woods and cackle at me until I leave them some biscuits.
As well as the wildlife I am amazed by the changes to the landscape over the year. Over winter we had some really hard frosts which resulted in the canal freezing which was incredibly beautiful but also a bit tricky for the swans and other bird life which would find itself trapped in the ice. Fast forward to June where the weather was so hot for so long that it affected the oxygen levels in the canal and resulted in dead fish including some massive pikes. Amazing what lives on as well as in the canal.
It's fascinating watching how wildlife migrates to and from the canal as well as people. The canal is home to many people on the stretch that I walk and as the weather gets warmer more boats arrive in all shapes and sizes.
My main go to walk has been through Hirst Woods and then on the canal and it is truly a wonderful start and end to the day. The woods are a magical place and when I changed my job and started commuting on a daily basis I decided to take a photo a couple of times a month of one place in the woods which opens up like a cathedral.
This short video is a result of 12 months of commuting. Watch out for the dramatic change from April to May when I'm away in Cornwall for a month. It's amazing how quickly the foliage developed over that time.
Over the next year I'll continue with my photos of Hirst wood but will add another view which takes in the broader landscape, the view from Gilstead Crags down to Bingley and my studio.
I'm excited to see how this new view will change with the weather and the seasons over the next 12-18 months and who knows it may end up informing a new collection of work.
Want to know more about Hirst wood then check out Hirst Wood Regeneration Group. For more information about the beautiful landscape in Bradford and the surrounding area then check out the South Pennines Park.
]]>After months of painting my solo exhibition at the Northern Lights gallery in Keswick is finally here. This is my first solo exhibition with the gallery and I am excited to be showing 20 new paintings inspired by the beautiful Lakes.
]]>Lakeland lights is a collection of oil and mixed media paintings inspired by the changing weather and the shifting light falling across the valleys and fells of the Lake District. This is my first solo exhibition with the gallery and I am excited to be showing a large collection of new paintings inspired by the beautiful Lakes.
I am proud of this collection. It has given me the opportunity to scale up and immerse myself in creating a cohesive collection which is no doubt inspired by the Lakes: pea green valleys, golden ochre fells, and heavy foreboding skies.
The centre piece of the collection is Lakeland Fells and it is a whopper at 90 x 122 cm on a deep cradled board.
Take a look at this work in progress video to get a feel for the layers of colour and texture and to see that flash of gold leaf.
Not painted to be a diptych but they do work quite nicely together. They are both on deep cradled boards and do look fabulous together.
Another large painting on a deep cradled board, Smoke on the water is 92 x 92 cm in size.
This is one of five 65 x 65 cm paintings which have been beautifully framed in a white tray frame. The flash of pea green reminds me of those soggy Lakeland valleys.
Another one of the 65 x 65 cm paintings which have been beautifully framed in a white tray frame. There is so much movement in this heavy cloud which just sits over the fells.
At 65 x 65 cm this oil and mixed media painting captures the dramatic changing Lakeland weather perfectly.
This 65 x 65 cm this oil and mixed media painting is a contrast to the other lakeland inspired paintings. I used a lemon yellow base colour and it has made all the other colours just pop. It was almost called primavera but decided that the clouds just reminded me so much of blossom blowing in the wind.
This 65 x 65 cm this oil and mixed media painting is just full of colour. It is one to see in the flesh and just see all those rich colours working together.
This is a mini collection within a collection. They are all 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) paintings framed in a hand painted St Ives frame.
The exhibition will run until 19 March 2023 at the Northern Lights Gallery in Keswick.
Welcome to my weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
I've missed week 12 so have combined it into my week 13 as boy what an interesting couple of weeks I've had... on the couch!
I've been struggling since the beginning of December with a rotten cold which seemed to clear up but then, just when I was getting into the swing of finalising my collection, it floored me and I was relegated to the couch for a couple of days. I then felt well enough to do some admin type work in the studio but daren't pick up a brush just in case I ruined my brand new collection.
It's funny how when you are not feeling 100% that you can convince yourself that you have painted a masterpiece to only return to it wondering what the heck they put into Beechams powders these days. So I made a sensible decision for once and stuck to varnishing and painting frames for the rest of the week.
I took Christmas Eve off and walked around delivering Christmas cards and presents to friends in Saltaire. It was a lovely walk with the mister but I was struggling still and one of my eyes was bugging me and felt like I'd got something in it. Boy did I have something in it!
By the afternoon my eye was sticky and oozing and on Christmas Day I woke up to a swollen eye almost glued shut... wow that was a little scary as I've never had an infection in my eye before and this seemed quite bad, plus it was Christmas Day... how the heck was I going to get some treatment?
Thankfully there was a pharmacists open on Christmas morning and he took one look and went boy oh boy...! So my Christmas Day was home alone on the couch as Nick took his parents up to his sisters in Newcastle for the Christmas meal. I was sorry to miss the annual feast with the family but I was feeling so sorry for myself and was struggling to see that I was happy to just sit quietly at home with a fire and the cats.
By Boxing Day the other eye was infected but at least I had the drugs to sort it out. I haven't left the house in over a week and have spent most of it on the couch which is quite unusual for me as I am a terrible patient, always wanting to be doing stuff. On the plus side Bin-juice the cat came and gave me a very rare cuddle!
As I write this (obvs feeling loads better!) one eye has finished its treatment and on the mend and the other has a day to go. The skin around my eyes is so dry and itchy and I have bags and lines round my eyes like a 52 year old... oh wait I am 52! But at least I can see properly again.... Over the past week I have gone from looking like I've stepped out of a zombie film to looking like a vampire with blood red eyes. All in all quite an interesting look!
So where does this leave me with my collection? I am way behind but hoping to get back into the studio straight after New Year. I am giving myself time to recover properly plus I do still have the wretched cough which keeps on giving.
It is a bit touch and go to be honest and if I am not able to finish the paintings to the standard I am happy with then I'll need to have that difficult conversation with the gallery to see about either a late delivery or pushing back of the exhibition dates. Fingers crossed it will be okay and I can box this collection off next week.
I have been able to stay positive over the last few weeks as I have a super exciting year ahead of me which is jammed packed full of new adventures. Starting with my solo exhibition in February at Northern Lights gallery in Keswick, shortly followed by a group exhibition with Blue Tree gallery in York and my first trip across the borders to exhibit at the Borders Art Fair in March.
April I will be in Cornwall running two of my workshops, with the 3 day workshop already full and running a waiting list, and only a couple of places left on the 2 day workshop. Can't wait to be back amongst friends in Cornwall and meeting and painting with new people. Feels like a treat (retreat?) for me.
May and it's back up North to Scotland where I will be exhibiting with a new gallery in Edinburgh. I have a solo exhibition planned with them and further information will be available as soon as things firm up.
May is also the return of the Saltaire Arts Trail and I will be re-opening the house as an open studio with my good friend Ian Burdall and special guest Sam Yates of Lil' Rabbitfoot. We always put on a good show and so does the rest of the village where you can get to look inside Grade 2 listed houses in this UNESCO world heritage site.
In September I will be back up across the borders again to a group show at the Aberfeldy watermill art gallery.
Throughout the year I will also be working on a year long project with the North York Moor national park exploring this beautiful part of the world and creating work for an exhibition in 2024. More about that next year when I start to visually document this project in January.
I will also have workshops running every month at my base at the Crafthouse in Bingley, as well as workshops throughout the year at the Biscuit Factory. I will also be returning to ArtisOn near Masham and Studio Vault in Settle. New to the year is a one off workshop at Rheged to celebrate my exhibition with Northern Lights gallery and a workshop with the North York Moors National Park in May to promote my project with them.
And not forgetting my regular galleries, Biscuit Factory, Hope Gallery, Saltbox Gallery, Dockside Gallery, Artworks and Giddy Arts who I will be providing new work for them throughout the year.
So quite a busy year involving a fair bit of travelling up and down the country. It will also be my first full year as a full time artist so I have no idea whether what is planned is too much or too little to keep me busy and ensuring I have an income coming in. Who knows but at this point in my business I'm not in a position to turn down opportunities.
Next week is a big push to complete my collection for Northern lights and fingers crossed everything goes to plan!
Check out for the return of my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my 11th week and boy has it been cold but very beautiful! I've had a busy start to the week with workshops all weekend and then cracking on in the studio for the final push on my Northern Lights collection.
So this week involved a bit of recovery time from running two workshops over the weekend, 100 miles apart from each other and involving a very frosty and early morning drive up to Newcastle. It's always a lovely welcome from the Biscuit Factory and we had a lovely creative day with the group.
The rest of the week has been studio time and really trying to push along with my collection for the Northern Lights. I've started to make some work in progress videos for some of the paintings that are now completed. The first is of Lakeland lights which just so happens to be the image I've used for my Christmas cards this year!
So just recovering from my cold I have enjoyed my frosty walks in to the studio. The canal has frozen more and more over the week. In fact one of the boats broke up the ice on Wednesday but by Friday it was frozen solid again and my two little swan friends were reduced to a small patch of clear water.
Earlier this week I was upset to see that one of them had been injured. It doesn't look too bad but still upsetting to see. As if they haven't got enough to deal with trying to survive in this weather. Still it looks like lots of people have the same idea as me and feed them on their walks as they seem to have a surplus of food.
In terms of the injury it looks like something has tried to have a go at his wing. Dog attacks seem to be fairly common with swans which is upsetting as it is something which can be easily avoided. The dog walkers I meet on my way to the studio have their dogs under control and it is a joy to be greeted by these characters on my walk. I'll be keeping an eye on these two over the winter months and will look forward to seeing if they have any cygnets next year.
Next week is a big push to complete my collection for Northern lights.Must get it finished before the festive break!
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my tenth week which has basically been pretty much a painting free week as I travel to Iceland for a brief trip after my open studio event.
So this week involved very little studio time. In fact the only studio time I had was to create my contribution to the Saltaire Advent window and to pack for workshops that I'll be running this weekend.
The reason for the lack of painting / studio time is a long awaited trip back to Iceland. We'd not travelled overseas or on a plane since 2019 so that in itself was a very strange experience. However we love Iceland and we were pretty keen to get back even if it was just for a short trip which didn't involve travelling outside of Reykjavik.
It was lovely to see this beautiful city again and to explore around the streets. It is a very colourful city with lots of independent shops to explore.
So I mentioned that I'd been busy creating my contribution to the Saltaire Living Advent calendar. Well here it is. Because we were going to be away when this was due to be lit up I stuck to one of our windows this year as opposed to the greenhouse which I used last year.
If you've not seen the Saltaire Advent calendar then do hop on to their Facebook page where they publish all the windows opening that evening. It is a wonderful event and something which lights up those dark nights in Bradford.
My window this year celebrates the creatures that live in our house and around our garden. We are lucky to have a garden, many Saltaire houses don't have one, and we do enjoy feeding the many birds that come to visit - from the noisy starlings, the robin that follows me around the garden and the odd sparrow hawk that drops in. We also have a family (or families) of mice in our garden which enjoy the food that the starlings chuck about the garden. And then of course there are our two fat bear cats, Bin-juice and Jack. Bin-juice is represented by the massive oversized cat on the the roof... he really is massive and not just fat. We think he is part racoon.
I managed to pick up a cold at my open studio event which was pretty rubbish especially flying and trying not to snot all over people. I was grateful for the use of a mask to hide my dribbling nose!
My first free day back in the UK I headed to the studio and even though I was feeling pretty snotty and rubbish I wanted to walk through the woods to make sure I captured my weekly photo but also because the walk really sets me up for the day, no matter how snotty I am.
I found it really strange to travel back from a country such as Iceland which is not far from the artic circle to find the UK is actually colder. For that first day back the temperature in the north of England reached -7 whereas it was still a balmy -3 in Reykjavik.
So cold in fact the Leeds Liverpool Canal was frozen in places!
Next week I am back painting in the studio. I am a little behind so it will be early mornings and late nights to pull my collection together.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my ninth week which has involved lots of packing up orders and finalising some of my paintings for the Northern Lights exhibition.
So this week I released my demo paintings to my subscribers and boy what a response. Nearly 40 paintings have left the studio and are now winging their way around the world to their new homes. Thank you so much!
Painting for the solo exhibition with Northern Lights Gallery in Keswick has continued this week with a number of paintings being finalised including this particularly colourful one.
The week then finished off with my open studio on Saturday which gave me the opportunity to clear my workbench, pack up my paints and hang my Northern Lights paintings up to give them a bit of breathing space so I can show people the collection. It also meant I could get some Christmas lights up and a beautiful wreath created by Pink Ginger up on my studio door.
Wow what a misty start to the week it has been. It has been absolutely gorgeous walking into the studio in these misty conditions and Hirst Woods are looking splendid but bare.
I love my walks to the studio as they really give me that head space to chew things over and before I know it my 45 min walk is done!
So last week I mentioned how having so many paintings in the "not quite complete" stage was really difficult. So this week I changed my plans and focused on completing some paintings. This felt much better and I started feeling all excited about this collection again. There's nothing like the finishing off process when the varnish goes on and the sides of the paintings are tidied up. It is a great feeling!
Well I already knew this but this week reminded me what a lovely bunch my subscribers are. Since leaving my job at the University my online sales and my gallery sales have been slower than normal. There are so many challenges out there for everyone at the moment so I am always grateful when people spend their hard earned cash on my work.
I am so amazed by the response to my demo painting collection this week so a really big thank you to all of my subscribers for your support.
I am out of the studio for most of next week as I have a trip to Reykjavik planned but will be back to deliver workshops in Bingley and Newcastle at the end of the week.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my eighth week and I have been dealing with a big painting and struggling with the dark mornings.
Painting for the solo exhibition with Northern Lights Gallery in Keswick has continued... I know I know but it is a collection and they take months but this week has been an interesting challenge as I've started work on the largest of the paintings for this collection, a whopping 3ft x 4ft painting.
Earlier in the week I took a trip out to York to visit the Blue Tree gallery who had invited me to be part of their spring exhibition from March through to May. I had heard of the gallery and knew that it represented a number of artists that I follow so I was super excited to be invited and really keen to meet Marissa and see Giuliana Lazzerini's wonderful work in the flesh.
This week I have been running my 3-day Advanced oils and cold wax workshop with a fabulous group who have travelled from all over the country. I only run this workshop 3-4 times a year and I really enjoy it as I get to play and experiment as well as meet and work with some fabulous people. In this workshop we focus on creating a series of paintings using a range of techniques such as solvent pours, collage, stencilling etc. I think they produced some fabulous work!
And finally.... I don't know if you remember that when I was in Scotland last month we stopped off at Aberfeldy to meet up with some friends. We'd never visited this beautiful village before but were really taken by this arty community and in particular the art gallery and book shop. Well I am super excited that I have been invited to be part of the Watermill gallery's Blaze exhibition running from September through to November next year. Whoop... very exciting. It also means I am now fully committed with exhibitions next year and the first 6 months of 2024!
Oh the dark mornings are having an impact on me this week. In fact the days have been pretty dark as well so it wasn't until Thursday that I actually walked into the studio but boy did I feel better for doing that and getting to spend some time in the lovely Hirst Woods.
The leaves have pretty much fallen off most of the trees now but they still have their beautiful orange glow on the ground. Everything is looking very wet and soggy and it is pretty muddy walking through there and probably will be now well in to spring. I am however very grateful to have this wonderful place on my doorstep.
So my collection for the Northern Lights exhibition in February is really coming along nicely but I have so many paintings in the "not quite complete" stage which is quite hard for me as I am a bit of a completer finisher.
Still I am sticking with it as there are huge benefits to just letting those paintings sit on the wall so I can spend quality time and see whether they work, what would be the best changes to make etc.
The mahoosive painting has been quite interesting. I procrastinated and didn't start it when I should have on Monday and instead worked on a smaller painting.
For some reason I was feeling a little anxious, full of self doubt about tackling a larger painting. Strange really when you think that up until 6 years ago I was regularly painting on a large scale.
Tuesday I got stuck in and I really don't know where the time went and in the end I was super frustrated to break off on Wednesday to prepare for my 3-day workshop. So I think I've got over the feeling anxious stage with larger paintings but who knows!
A full week back in the studio for the Northern Lights collection and hopefully finishing off some of those paintings. The week is then finished off with my open studio on Saturday 3 December 2022 from 11:00 - 4.00 pm so if you are in the Bingley area do drop in to the Crafthouse for some lovely coffee and then nip downstairs and say hello. Also my demo painting sale to my subscribers continues up until Christmas.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my seventh week and I am half way through my first 100 days of being a full time self employed artist.
Painting for the solo exhibition with Northern Lights Gallery in Keswick has continued. The collection is really coming along nicely and I've spent some time creating new paintings as well as refining and adding details to others.
You can see here the before and after the tweaks of three of the paintings.
These three are 61 x 61 cm and I am planning on painting six this size in total. I think they will look awesome together once they are framed up.
I walk by these allotments every day, mainly in the dark on my way home, but earlier this week I decided to walk along the road to the studio. The sun was shining and these allotments are just so glorious that I was tempted in to have a snoop around and grab a picture of this splendid patch with its beautiful crop of dahlias.
I so wish I could grow dahlias in my garden but the slugs like them too much. Maybe next year I will give it a go again but for now I will enjoy someone else's hard work.
The walk to the studio has been a little hampered with the really bad weather and feeling a bit off towards the end of this week. A bit of rain doesn't usually bother me as I just dress head to toe in waterproofs but half way through the week I was feeling like I was coming down with something and the idea of trudging 3 miles to the studio through the rain just wasn't doing it for me.
I still managed a walk through Hirst Woods to see how much it has changed in just a week. The leaves are a glorious orange / yellow which really ping in the grey mists we've had recently.
Procrastination... enough said!
My walls are filling up with paintings which are almost complete but not quite. The final hurdle to completing a painting can be quite hard even though it is so wonderfully rewarding when I am happy with a painting to say yes this can go to the gallery.
I am creating a lot of work, because I have a lot of commitments so I really need to push through and get some of these paintings finished.
So I needed to do "a big shop" this week... not your usual food shop but my big shop was to do with stocking up on supplies in the studio. What with workshops and having a number of collections on the go I needed to replenish the cupboards!
Now this isn't a new thing to me but each time I put that order in to Jacksons (other art suppliers are also available) I gulp and hesitate and even try and whittle that order down.
I still find it hard getting used to putting in big orders of £500+ even though there is the cash flow in the business and it is cheaper to buy in bulk as I get a business discount.
Wonder if I will ever get used to it? What I know I will never get bored of is opening up those boxes when they arrive.... I love getting new supplies! Bin juice the cat also likes it when new boxes are delivered!
Next week I will be tackling a mahoosive 90 x 122 cm painting and also delivering my last 3 day workshop until next year. Can't wait to get working with this group!
Next week is also the launch of my demo painting sale to my subscribers.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my sixth week and I have fully immersed myself into painting a collection for an exhibition early next year.
So as soon as we were back from our holiday in Scotland it was straight into painting for my solo exhibition with Northern Lights Gallery in Keswick. Having done some planning whilst on holiday I was determined to get stuck in especially as I knew I had a full 5 days of painting without any interruptions.
This week I set myself a goal of painting three 60 x 60 paintings and although these are still a work in progress I am pleased with how they work together. Next week I will be scaling up slightly... I'm seeing next week's paintings as a warm up to the mahoosive painting I am planning on tacking the following week. I have a big old 90 x 120 cm board waiting for me and boy half the problem with these bigger ones is the weight of them! Gonna have some big guns by the time I'm finished with this collection!!
Back to walking to the studio and I've realised that we have been so lucky with the weather as each of the photos of the woods over the last 6 weeks have had beautiful bright days which gloriously show off the autumnal colours. It is so warm though. How crazy is that? Still no winter coat, just boots getting muddier and muddier. I wonder whether we will get any snow this year?
I've had a quick look at the photos of the woods over the last 6 weeks and I can see the very slight changes.
Some of you may have been following me when I was doing the 100 day project back in 2021. I know a lot of you were really intrigued by the spreadsheet I'd created for keeping track of the various stages the paintings were at. When you have 100 paintings all of which need mounting, signing, varnishing, photographing... well you get the idea.
I'm not quite at that stage of creating a spreadsheet but when I am putting a collection together I do grab myself a scrap of newsprint and draw-up a grid so I can easily see where each painting is at. Helps in terms of keeping on track, especially when you have deadlines and you need to make sure you prioritise those jobs that are going to need more time but it's also as satisfying as ticking off a to do list. When you have big projects and lots of work it can be quite overwhelming so having this little grid helps me see that I am moving (albeit slowly) towards the end goal.
Well it's a bit weird but because I have so much work on the go I am starting to wonder whether my studio is big enough. Yeah I know... just going to leave this here and ponder on this one for a while!
Next week I will be continuing my painting marathon for my exhibition with the Northern Lights Gallery in Keswick, visiting a new gallery in York and prepping for my open studio early next month.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>I know, I know but I need to post this up if only to remind me that there are deadlines to be met before I can put my feet up for Christmas! Deliveries in the UK may be affected by the Royal Mail strikes so please do get your orders in as soon as possible to avoid any delays.
Delivery to | Orders to be received by: |
UK | Sunday 18 December |
UK studio pick-up | Thursday 22 December |
US, Europe, Canada | Saturday 5 December |
Rest of the world | Monday 28 November |
UK orders will be sent using Royal Mail Special delivery. Please note that orders are not guaranteed to be dispatched same day. If you need your order in a hurry, please email me and I will do my best to help.
Larger items including framed paintings and prints will be sent via courier service.
If your order has not arrived more than 13 working days after you receive the dispatch email, please double check with your neighbours and the local sorting office and then contact me so that I can investigate further.
International orders will be sent using Royal Mail's Airmail Service for small items and Courier for larger items.
Framed paintings and prints are not available for delivery outside of the UK.
Prints for delivery outside the UK & EU are only available unmounted and will be shipped in tubes.
The local authorities in your country may charge you customs and import taxes. These are beyond my control and are the responsibility of the buyer.
Your order may be subject to a customs delay as your local authority assesses your parcel. I cannot control or predict this so I cannot give you a guarantee for delivery of your order. These delays can run to weeks in busy periods.
If your order has not arrived more than three weeks after the dispatch email was sent, please let me know so that I can investigate.
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Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my fifth week and I have been enjoying the beautiful Scottish landscape and exploring new galleries.
Well halloween is our anniversary so we try to make sure we are away and this year is no exception. This time we are up in Scotland and have tagged on visits to a couple of galleries.
Before we left the Blue Tree Gallery in York got in touch to invite me to exhibit with them next year. I was really pleased to be invited as I've not exhibited in York before and this gallery has some wonderful artists already exhibiting with them. So I will have a new collection for their exhibition starting in March. Busy busy busy!
So back to the holiday. This year we decided to visit a different part of Scotland this year, Loch Awe, mainly because the cottage we rented is right on the Loch and I can't resist being in or on the water and this place came with kayaks!
We also visited our favourite place in Scotland, Glen Coe and the wonderful Buchaille Etive Mor... my favourite mountain ever!
And explored Neolithic burial grounds which reminded me of being on the West Coast of Ireland and visiting the Ceide fields.
On the drive up to Scotland we stopped off at Dockside gallery to drop off some work for their Christmas show unframed. This is a new gallery to me so it was nice to be able to go and visit this wonderfully bright space just a short walk from the centre of Berwick. It's a fabulous gallery and I am so pleased to have been invited as a "special guest" for this exhibition. I have the following 3 small paintings included in the show which opens on 15 November.
After Berwick it was on to Edinburgh to visit another gallery to discuss exhibiting with them next year. More about that next year when things firm up.
Knowing when to say no! As you can see I've had quite a bit of interest from galleries this month but trying to judge how much I can take on is difficult at the moment. My head is still in the space of trying to fit in a full time job but I do think I have a pretty busy schedule ahead of me next year.
So even though I was on holiday the note book came out and I sketched out what I was committed to doing and what I need to focus on when I returned from my holidays.
This sketching out helps me to dump all those ideas and thoughts so that I am not using up loads of brain energy trying to remember things. It also helps settle the need to get back to the studio immediately to crack on with the painting. First I needed to think carefully about what paintings were need for which event, what would work well, the types of statement pieces etc. However, now that I've done that I've realised that I am going to be super busy for the next 6 months.
This is the first time it has hit me that I am not going back to work at the University. Whilst on holiday I found that I was no longer checking my work emails to "contain" any dramas back at the office. I had some wonderful times working at the University but I am glad to be out of that environment and in control of my work.
Don't get me wrong I check my emails regularly and will respond to messages from clients, galleries etc when I am on holiday but it's different when it's your own business and you do get to choose who you work with.
Next week I shall be straight back to painting for my exhibition with the Northern Lights Gallery in Keswick and getting my demo paintings ready for release to my subscribers later in the month.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my fourth week and I've been busy creating work and packing it up for galleries.
This week I managed to get across to Hebden Bridge to drop off some new work with Caroline at Hope Gallery. It's the first time I'd made it across since she moved to her new premises, down the road (literally) from her old gallery and boy what a treat it was to see. I'd timed the delivery perfectly as well as she had sold a couple of my pieces so had some gaps.
If you are in the area it is definitely worth a visit as she has some beautiful work from a diverse range of artists.
I popped in to see Sam Roberts of Lil Rabbitfoot as I'm delivering some of her work later this week. I've known Sam for some time, in fact she was telling me that the very young child she had sat on her knee when we first met at the Saltaire Arts Trail is now 18 and travelling the world! Wow where has the time gone?
Sam creates beautiful, botanically inspired stained glass and I love how imaginative and creative she is with her work. Her studio is a converted portacabin at home and it is a hive of activity and it was so amazing to see her work in progress, her ideas boards etc.
If you've not come across Sam's work before then do check it out.
I have been cramming too many things into my day and being disappointed when I've not managed to keep on top of my to do list. Why? Well we are off to Scotland next week for a holiday. As a result I've given myself ridiculous to do lists which when I think about it I realise that there is no need to put myself under so much pressure. Yes I do have an exhibition in February which requires a lot of paintings but I've made a good start (see below) and I still have two months to paint them.
So I've taken my foot off the peddle a little and just enjoyed creating the new work for Northern Lights exhibition in February.
I was chatting to my other half last week about rediscovering Hirst Woods and how I was going to take a photo each day. He reminded me of a poem he'd written about the woods and was published in his the riding collection.
I thought I'd share it with you along with this week's photo of Hirst Wood looking splendid in the autumnal sun.
clearing
(after Woods etc., Alice Oswald)
what I wouldnt give for a little time to think
What I wouldn't give for just a little time to think
a few minutes up the lane from the canal
where paths meet in a footwork junction of sorts
into woods where it is not yet biblical morning
and stillness is smashed by a jays unruly calling
the diligent woodpecker beats those panels
to a loose approximation of dawn
pass along beyond is a clearing left
perhaps by a great trees falling the shade it cast
has been lost and this place newly opened to stars
this cistern of morning is lucid and it is fractured
the white noise of living washes away sound becomes
rounded and soft and I gather scattered pieces of me
this cistern brimming with quiet is full of light now
it is a cathedral stuffed with feathers fat as a pillow
Next week I shall be on holiday soaking up the glorious Scottish landscape.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my third week and I've met a whole bunch of new arty friends!
I ran my last atmospheric landscapes workshop for the month and was really pleased to at last meet Laura Pedley, an artist I have admired for some time now. It was so lovely to meet her in person at the workshop and we have promised ourselves that we would do an artist meet-up soon over in her neck of the woods. Keep an eye out for that!
If you don't know Laura or her work then do check her out, it is beautiful and quite special.
We have been so lucky over the last few weeks as we have had wonderfully clear and bright autumnal days which has really highlighted the beautiful colours in the woods. The weather is changing as I type this blog and we are starting to get some much needed rain and the landscapes are shrouded in mist as we creep towards winter. The woods are still looking splendid and provide much needed shelter on my walks in the rain to the studio.
In other news I am really pleased that The Shepherdess is a finalist in the Broadway Open Arts exhibition in the Cotswolds. 150 finalists and prize-winners form this exclusive exhibition at Broadway museum and art gallery which will run from 21 - 30 October 2022. If you are in the area do go check it out, it looks superb.
I am also now represented by the Saltbox Gallery in Helmsley, North Yorkshire. This is a wonderful little gallery that I have been following for some time now and is located in the most beautiful village surrounded by the North York Moors. I have five small works with them at the moment but will be working on some more work for them in the near future (see challenges below!)
I have neglected my accounts for the last month or so and as such Monday's admin day became a bit of a struggle especially as I'd lost a couple of receipts and for some reason not uploaded them directly to my system... jeez. I've learned my lesson there. Everything is ship-shape now and I am back on track for my weekly update of my accounts. Boring I know but life as an artist isn't just 24/7 painting unfortunately.
So I am really pleased to get the opportunity to exhibit with two new galleries and a new art fair early next year. As an artist just starting out full time it's not something I could pass up but it's required a bit of planning and thinking about what and how I can provide work for these galleries whilst managing my other commitments.
Time to get the Flipchart out and post-its... once I'd done that and broken down what was needed and when it was a little easier to focus. I am not going to pretend that I'm not going to be stacked out over the next 3 months and that break over Christmas I'd promised myself probably won't happen. But at least I feel more in control of what the next 6 months needs to look like.
I had my day off and spent it wisely meeting new friends and walking. I was invited to join an Art Hike last weekend which has been running for quite some time as this was Art Hike number 55.
An 8 miler around Thurcross reservoir in North Yorkshire and up on top of the moor. The weather was spectacular and the company was great. Was really lovely to do something a little different and to meet new people - artists, creators, musicians, writers, coaches. Here's a few snaps of this lovely day.
Next week I shall be delivering a new collection of work to Hope gallery as well as heading up to Scotland to visit a couple of galleries.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. This is my second week and I am slowly starting to create a structure to my days. So what's happened?
]]>Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist. I am running a daily diary on my instagram stories and this weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
This is my second week and I am slowly starting to create a structure to my days. So what's happened?
So this week there was no day off... booo! That's because I was running a workshop all weekend so my designated day off, Sunday, I was full on working with some absolutely lovely people who had travelled from Wales, Herefordshire and Salisbury to little old Bingley for a workshop. It was a lovely weekend full of laughs and lots of creativity.
The walking to the studio however, has continued and I am enjoying observing the landscape as the seasons change. Hirst Wood (below) is a rather special place and a few years ago I documented the changing seasons and the impact it had on four big 200-300 year old trees in these woods. Sadly only 3 of them remain but walking here recently reminded me of how much I enjoyed that project and so I'm going to include a snap of the woods in my blog each week so we can watch the changes together.
This particular part of the woods reminds me of a cathedral or gathering place. It's a clearing where all the paths converge, where the forest schools building their dens in summer and the bluebells shout their colour in spring. It is a very peaceful and calming place to be.
Creating structure to my daily / weekly life! Monday is my designated admin day and boy did I have a lot of admin to catch-up on. There is a lot of admin associated with running a business and being an artist... a serious amount. So although I have one designated day for admin I also spend the first hour in the studio doing responding to emails etc. That then leaves the rest of the day for painting without being disturbed... that's the plan anyway!
This week I managed to get my whiteboard all set-up where I can jot down ideas for newsletters, for social media, my blog etc without having to retain those ideas in my head or loads of different lists. It's starting to help but not sure I've got my sections quite right yet but that's the joy of a whiteboard, you can just change it.
I won't pretend that it hasn't been a struggle to start painting again after a break of over a month. Things just weren't working, either the colours weren't right or I was being too impatient so it took a bit of time before I could feel happy with something I created. But I have started and I've created 3 small paintings for a new gallery, Dockside, up in Berwick for their Christmas show, Unframed. I'll be dropping the paintings off with Mary on my way up to Scotland at the end of the month and I am looking forward to working with a new gallery.
This week I sent my long overdue newsletter to my subscribers. What with finishing my full time job and rejigging my studio space, September was a bit hectic and I didn't manage to send out a newsletter. I eventually got to it earlier this week and boy what a wonderful response I got from people to my news of becoming a full time artist.
My inbox was inundated with lots of people wishing me well. To add to that I've also had lots of lovely comments about this blog which really makes it all feel worthwhile.
So although I already knew what a wonderful bunch you are my discovery this week was more of a reminder of what super stars you all are. Thank you!
Next week I shall be painting... mustn't forget I need to paint! But I will also be joining an Art Hike which I am looking forward to as well as getting some work out to some of my galleries.
Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
]]>Welcome to my new weekly blog posts documenting my first 100 days of being a full time artist.
This is my first week and blimey time has flown! So what's happened?
]]>This is my first week and blimey time has flown! So what's happened?
I've had a day off! Yes seriously I'm trying to have at least one day off a week at the moment and it started with breakfast in Haworth and then a drive over the moors, discovering new places to walk.
Talking of walking, I've started walking to the studio again. This is much needed exercise but I am also making a point of slowing down and looking at the things around me. Previously I've been too busy charging across to the studio to notice things. I'm looking forward to my walks through autumn and into winter.
This week was a rehang at the Artworks in Otley. I love doing this for them as I like to keep my hand in with curating work and also it's a great way to discover new artists.
This rehang was a bit of a challenge. Lots of beautiful bright work to beat away those upcoming winter blues but boy, for some reason, that made it a little more difficult. Still I think the end result works pretty well with Modo & Co's big, bold signs complimenting the work of Jo Dexter and Ian Burdall and many other artists. Go check it out!
The biggest challenge this week for me was getting my studio back in shape after I'd had some storage built and moved my home office to the studio. It has really felt like I was redesigning my studio all over again and it took time. So much time I ended up roping in a bit of help as I was getting a back-log of studio admin building up and I also needed to start work on a new collection.
But it is now finished and I am loving the office area in particular and although I've added quite a lot more furniture and storage it still feels really spacious. I've also got space for planning and sketching out project ideas which is really important for me. More importantly I have space for my work where I can store it safely until it is ready to go off to galleries.
One of the things I said to myself when I decided to become a full time artist was that I would make time to visit more exhibitions, meet-up with artist friends, discover new artists and read that pile of art books I have by my bedside.
So what I want to share with you first is Hannah Nunn's Three little somethings e-letters. Hannah is a designer based in Hebden Bridge who I've known for a good few years and have bought her work for our home as well as gifts for others. Her daughter, Fionn, designed this website for me which I truly love and she was such a joy to work with.
I signed up to Hannah's Three little somethings shortly after hearing about the fire that destroyed her studio back in August. It was every artist's nightmare but for it to happen to someone you know and in a place you are familiar with, really brings things like this a little too close to home.
So for the last few weeks I've really enjoyed seeing Hannah's latest news drop into my inbox every Thursday. They are a quick read with lots of visuals (always works for me!) and are great for helping me to slow down and to start, as Hannah refers to it, "the simple practice of noticing nature through the seasons".
It's also fascinating to see what she is working on and how she is rebuilding her studio as well as dealing with a house move. She's a wonderful artist/designer and such a resilient person. I am in awe of her.
You can sign-up to Hannah's 3 little something's here. Go check her out.
Next week I start my collection for my solo exhibition with Northern Lights in Keswick. Check out my daily posts on my instagram stories for some sneak peeks.
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At the end of last week I left my full time employment at the University of Leeds to become self-employed as a full-time artist. I've worked at the University for 28 years and in higher education for over 30 years but now it's time to give my other career some space for me to enjoy and let it grow.
I made the decision 3 years ago that this is what I wanted to do ie become a full time artist. I drew up a 5 year plan with the help of the Design Trust and set to work on growing my business whilst holding down a pretty full on and demanding job.
Despite the pandemic my business has grown to an extent that I've achieved what I needed to within 3 years to make that jump and give up the day job.
Scary? Not really. It's a big decision but it is a good decision.
I've been self-employed as an artist for 15 years but on a part time basis. It wasn't until I really sat down 3 years ago and thought when am I going to make that leap to becoming full time and how am I going to do it?
Like many people I'd been hanging on to win the lottery (which I never play). I realised after discovering The Design Trust that I needed to sort this out for myself rather than waiting for something to come along and do it for me.
As a part time artist I'd been pretty successful up to that point with both invitations to exhibit with galleries as well as regularly attracting sales. I'd also recently started to run workshops which I soon realised there was a demand for and what's more I really enjoyed running them.
So what would it take to ramp things up and ensure I could afford to leave my full time employment?
The Design Trust helped me focus on what I wanted to do and when. It helped me figure out some financials and focus on things that make a difference, those big juicy projects.
It really pushed me out of my comfort zone and within the first year of my 5 year plan I'd secured a studio away from home - 2 years ahead of schedule. The second year my big project was to have my branding developed and my website overhauled. And this year, the third year of my five year plan, I set my limited company up and finally handed in my notice to go full time as an artist.
Thank you Patricia for all your wise words and your wonderful planner which I will continue to buy as it truly does give me that structure I need on a daily, monthly and quarterly basis.
There have been a lot of people who have helped me get to this point and I wanted to give them a shout out, just in case they didn't know how much their support has meant to me.
Thank you to each one of you.
So what now?
First challenge is to get some structure to my working week.
What I am looking forward to most is getting my work : life balance sorted out. On the Design Trust wheel of life I never did very well with that as I was juggling full time work and the art business, so I am really looking forward to having at least one day a week off and having some proper holiday / rest time, especially over Christmas.
I've a full schedule of workshops and exhibitions booked in until 2024 so I am really going to have to hit the ground running. To help with that I am making a few changes to my studio so that I have more storage space for work and also moving my home office into the studio as well.
There's going to be a lot of change over the next 3-6 months as I adjust to my new way of life and create a new daily and weekly structure for myself.
Last year I did the 100 day project and created my 100 days of light collection. That was a great way to create structure in my work during a difficult time. I'm going to revisit the 100 day project but this time as a visual diary in the hope that it will help to create the structure I will need.
As a starter I am going to run a daily diary on my instagram stories and a weekly blog post of what I've been up to, what have been the challenges, the surprises, what I've learned / discovered etc.
It will coincide nicely with the creation of a new collection of work for my solo exhibition with Northern Lights gallery in Keswick so you'll also get a sneak peek of some of the work in progress.
Do come and join me.
If you are interested in building up your own creative business then I would highly recommend getting hold of next year's Design Trust planner to help you. It's the perfect time to order one ready for the start of next year. DO IT!
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I've been watching Bina's instagram posts over the last couple years as she developed her bamboo drawing tools and thought it was about time I gave them a go.
She makes a range of tools from black bamboo including brush pens, dip pens with pointed and flat nibs and mark making tools of various sizes. She also makes her own botanical ink from oak gall and walnut.
Spoilt for choice I eventually decided to go with 3 of her mark making tools: thin, medium and large. They arrived beautifully wrapped with a sprig of bamboo and a gorgeous business card with one of Bina's own paintings printed on it.
At the moment my paintings have a very smooth finish with not much texture on but I thought these would be perfect to use with the carbon papers I make to create fine detailed marks with a bit more of a looser, energetic feel to them.
So I took a demo painting which was completely dry and made some marks with the bamboo tools and some turquoise carbon papers. This was the result. Lovely pops of contrasting turquoise marks!
You can watch my experiments with the tools on this short video.
I am definitely going to be experimenting some more with these tools on some larger works. If you'd like to try out some of Bina's bamboo products then head on over to her website.
Happy experimenting!
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But seriously all of my workshops are hosted by other organisations and I just rock up and deliver them. This was going to be quite different from finding a suitable venue, through to advertising and taking bookings - all done remotely!
I'd not been to this particular part of Cornwall before and as it was over 7 hours drive I was really relying on Fiona to do the ground work for me. But she found a venue in the beautiful village of Coverack and once we decided on the best dates we were ready to advertise.
I had been meaning for years to apply again for a residency in Brisons Veor, Cape Cornwall as I had such a wonderful and productive time there and it was on my list to apply again this year. Then I thought well I need to find somewhere to stay for the workshops why not create my own little artists residency by adding on a couple more weeks to my stay in Coverack.
So I booked myself 3 weeks in a lovely little cottage not far from the workshop venue. Little did I know that people had the same idea as me and were going to travel themselves down to this little village and make it a bit of a holiday themselves... or as some called it a bit of an artist's retreat.
I spent my first week on my own driving down with a car boot full of painting materials and used that week to check out Coverack and meet up with Fiona. I then created a little studio space in the cottage, covering everything up with oil cloth to protect it and then painted like a demon for a solid week getting work ready for a couple of exhibitions. There's nothing like a change of scenery to boost your creativity!
My other half then joined me for a bit of a holiday and then we went straight into workshops. I was joined by people who were local to Coverack and Cornwall and others who had travelled far to have a bit of a working holiday.
I ran 2 workshops over 3 days and both were held in Lambeage hall which was just a perfect venue, lots of space and a view to die for. Even better it was a 2 minute walk from my cottage and 5 minutes from the local pub! Win win!
The location really changed the workshops into more of an artist residency both for me and those who attended. With shared lunches out on the lawn and had "debriefings" in the local pub after a hard day of painting. It didn't really feel like work at all.
As I move towards becoming a full time artist this experience has really helped me realise that there are opportunities out there to do what you love doing, exploring new places and meeting and working with like minded people.
I have already booked my return visit to Cornwall next year. Same cottage, same village and in some cases same people. Tweaking things a little so those returning can build on what they learned this year.
I feel so luck to have this opportunity and to get to meet so many lovely people and in some cases develop friendships. And just think this came about through the 100 days project with Fiona cheering me along. Little did we know that it would end up being a thing and we would actually get to paint together!
If you would like to join me in Cornwall next year here are the details of the two workshops:
Exploring oils and cold wax, 2-day workshop, 21-23 April 2023
Advanced oils and cold wax, 3-day workshop, 25-27 April 2023
You can also read my blog for more details about the 100 day project that I completed in 2021. Also check out Fiona's work and her gallery Coast Colour Canvas.
]]>Some more mini big skies heading to the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle. Ten brand spanking new paintings all inspired by the ever changing weather up here in the North of England. Each one is finished with a bespoke St Ives style frame which has been hand painted with Little Green Slaked Lime.
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 30 x 30 cm (46 x 46 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
All ten paintings will be delivered on Sunday 9 July 2022 and will be available to view online and in the gallery shortly after that.
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The Fresh art fair returns to Cheltenham on the 9th through to the 12th June and I am super excited that Hope Gallery in Hebden Bridge will be representing me there. It's a first for me to be represented by a gallery at an prestigious art fair such as Fresh Art so I am super excited to have been asked to put together a collection.
]]>It's a first for me to be represented by a gallery at an prestigious art fair such as Fresh Art so I am super excited to have been asked to put together a collection. The painting were created whilst I was on my artist residency in Cornwall so there are elements of the coast peaking through and suggestions of Cornwall with the blues but they are definitely not your typical Cornish seaside scene.
Big billowing clouds and shifting light is what these are all about. It's the good old British weather in it's full glory! So here they are but if you do get chance come along to the Fresh art fair and see them in the flesh.
I will be at the Fresh art fair on Saturday from 3 - 6 pm in studio 1 doing a bit of painting. If you are at the fair do come along and say hello.
Image 40.5 x 40.5 cm (45 x 45 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board. Limited edition prints hand finished with gold leaf are available of this painting.
Image 50.5 x 50.5 cm (55 x 55 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board. Limited edition prints hand finished with gold leaf are available of this painting.
Image 61 x 61 cm (65 x 65 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image 50.5 x 50.5 cm (55 x 55 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image 40.5 x 40.5 cm (45 x 45 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
The Fresh art fair returns to Cheltenham Racecourse on the 9th through to the 12th June 2022.
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I have been working on these paintings over the last 6 months and I can't wait to see them all together.
Image 61 x 61 cm (65 x 65 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board
Image 46 x 46 cm (50 x 50 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Each painting is 30 x 30 cm (46.5 x 46.5 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image is 30 x 30 cm (46.5 x 46.5 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image is 30 x 30 cm (46.5 x 46.5 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image is 30 x 30 cm (46.5 x 46.5 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image 40.5 x 40.5 cm (44.5 x 44.5 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image 61 x 61 cm (unframed on large chunky cradle) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
Image is 30 x 30 cm (46.5 x 46.5 cm framed) oil & mixed media, on Arches Huile paper mounted on board.
And finally Tempest which is the feature painting of the exhibition. It comes in at 76 x 76 cm (82 x 82 cm framed), is oil & mixed media on wooden board and finished with a hand-crafted white wooden frame. A limited edition of this painting has also been made available.
Exhibition starts from 3 June and runs until end of August 2022.
Studio Vault is a small independent gallery in the heart of Settle owned and run by contemporary jeweller Emily Knight.
]]>In this article I introduce some of the tools I use to help me keep on top of my workshop packing and ensure that I don't end up at a venue without an essential piece of kit!
]]>This is the first of a number of blog posts where I share with you some of my tips on making your studio space and business admin a little easier so that you can spend more time doing what you love doing.... creating!
In this article I introduce some of the tools I use to help me keep on top of my workshop packing and ensure that I don't end up at a venue without an essential piece of kit!
This year I have a wonderful opportunity to take my workshops down to Cornwall and in doing so get to have an extended holiday.
But running workshops away from home can cause some anxiety.
There's always that nagging fear that I have left some essential equipment at the studio which I'm not going to be able to source in time for a workshop... and let's be honest now it's not like you can just nip down to your local art shop for some spare squeegees (shipped for USA!), Arches Huille paper or cold wax!
I created my reusable tick-sheets when I first moved into the studio and the frequency of workshops ramped up. Anything to try and make my life easier especially when you are running a workshop every other week and sometimes delivering one in Yorkshire one day and another in Newcastle the next. Yes that does happen, 4 times a year in fact!
Having a tick-sheet means I don't have to try and remember and draw up a list each time I pack up for a workshop. It also means that I can easily calculate quantities of materials needed depending on number of people attending.
Having a tick-sheet also means I can give the job to someone else to do as everything is listed and written down... now what's not to like about that?
Sounds obvious really when you think about it but you would be surprised how many people become too busy to create a quick studio hack which will save them time basically and also free up some of that brain power.
So what do I include on my tick-sheet? Everything I need to run a workshop from cold wax right through to the bin bags for disposing of waste.
You can create your tick-sheet to include whatever it is you need and will help you but if you have to keep remembering something it's probably best included on that sheet.
So my tick-sheets are basically lists of items printed out on A4 sheets of paper which I have then taken to my local stationery suppliers to laminate for less that £1.
Laminating them means I can keep reusing them time and time again. Just wipe off and start again.
I recently updated these tick-lists as my workshop supplies list changed as I streamlined my practice and also workshops adapted to COVID.
Just set yourself 30 mins once a year to review whether they need updating to make sure they keep working for you. Simple and cost effective.
A few years ago I invested in my trusty toolbox on wheels called Stanley. It is ideal for workshops as I can get almost everything in there that is needed for a workshop. It also has handy sections which just unclip and can be plonked on a workshop table without the need to decant the contents.
This is is a great little tool box which makes transporting tools and materials so much easier.
The tool box can be split so you can just take the sections you need. No need to be carrying loads of separate boxes around with me.
I am always looking to make life a little easier and this year I ditched my glass palettes for the disposable paper palettes for workshops. There were a couple of reasons for doing this - firstly I had some participants who were dismayed by leaving paint after a workshops. The disposable palettes allowed them to easily take leftover paint home with them should they wish to.
Secondly, the palettes are super heavy, especially when you have 12 of them and they were not particularly big and I always had requests for a second palette. By ditching them they also created a little bit more space in Stanley.
The downside is that unlike the glass palettes they are not reusable and there is an additional expense.
Have you got any tips for taking your art supplies on the road? I'd love to hear about them.
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Why is that?
]]>Why is that?
Firstly it's about getting to know you and understanding what it is you are looking for in a painting. Most people have some idea of what they want but it's through these initial conversations with you that I am able to tease out more details such as size, particular scenes to capture, colours even.
It's really important to have those conversations and through that process I show you examples of work that I have previously created. Not to put you on the spot about whether you like a painting or not (it is okay, honestly, to say you don't like a painting), but to gain insight as to what you mean and ensure we are on the same page.
When you say you like specific colours it's important to ensure that we are talking about the same colour. A red to me maybe a completely different shade of red to you. A painting which may appear dark to you may be quite a bright one (in comparison to my usual style) for me.
I have found over the years that taking an hour or so to meet with clients either face-to-face or over zoom to understand a little bit more about what they do and don't like, helps me determine whether I am able to undertake their commission.
It also helps to build the relationship.
Being a landscape artist I receive a lot of requests to paint a specific area which means something to my clients. If it is an area that I am not familiar with I like to go and spend some time there.
That's because my work is influenced by the landscape that I've been in and I need to visit, walk, and understand the light and how it changes across the landscape. I generally don't work from sketches or photos so it is important that I have the time to visit a place.
If we agree to go ahead with the commission an agreement is drawn up which basically outlines what you are looking for, what you prefer not to have in a painting, if there is flexibility around sizes then the minimum and maximum size of the painting, and timescales and costs, including any deposit upfront.
Once that is all agreed the process commences.
Throughout the process I like to send through images of progress. This is to reassure you that I am cracking on with the commission but also to check-in and ensure I haven't strayed from your brief.
For this 30th wedding anniversary commission I sent images of the triptych in progress including preparing the boards for the painting as I knew it would be a long process and I didn't want my clients to be wondering what was taking so long.
Once a painting is completed images are sent to ensure you are happy before the painting goes off to be framed.
On this occasion a call to the client was made when I was at the framers as the framing for this triptych was complex.
All in all the process can take between 3-4 months from starting a painting to delivery. Commissions generally need to be scheduled into my calendar and around commitments for exhibitions and galleries. So for example a commission I am talking with someone now (February 22), won't be started until October 22 when I get to visit the area which will be the focus of the painting.
If you would like to know more about commissioning a painting from me or if you are an artist who would like advice on how to approach a commission then do get in touch. Alternatively post a question below and I will get back to you.
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Over the last couple of months I have been working on a new collection of work for the Hope Gallery in Hebden Bridge. There was a clear brief to create some bright pieces for her gallery. As a painter who leans more towards the darker side of the colour range I did wonder whether I would be able to pull this off, especially as it was the middle of winter and quite frankly I do like my clouds of doom!
]]>There was a clear brief from Caroline and that was to create some bright pieces for her gallery. As a painter who leans more towards the darker side of the colour range I did wonder whether I would be able to pull this off, especially as it was the middle of winter and quite frankly I do like my clouds of doom!
However, during the course of 2021 my 100 day project collection did challenge me to broaden my colour range and a recent collection of work with the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle was my most colourful series of paintings since my Brisons Veor residency.
What I came to realise quite quickly over the course of 2021 was that my main area of interest was light and how that moved across a landscape. I played with transitions from darks to lights with whatever palette I was using and used transparent colours to create depth and atmosphere.
So my new collection I stuck to a limited palette:
I have an obscene range of turquoise colours in my paint box to choose from! What is it about the colour turquoise that draws us to it?
The turquoise blues mixed with varying amounts of white helped to keep these painting bright... it also helped to be dreaming about my 3 week sojourn to Cornwall in April / May!
So here are the results of my efforts over the last few months. 5 paintings in total, two on wood and 3 on paper, all of which will be heading off to Hope gallery early in February.
Image 46 x 46 cm on wood, framed in a white tray frame (49 x 49 cm).
Image 60 x 60 cm on wood, framed in a white tray frame (64x 64 cm).
Image 71 x 23 cm on paper, framed and glazed in a dark grey frame (91 x 43 cm).
Image 71 x 23 cm on paper, framed and glazed in a dark grey frame (91 x 43 cm).
Image 71 x 23 cm on paper, framed and glazed in a dark grey frame (91 x 43 cm). This image is also available as a limited edition.