You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November 2012.
Here’s two new e mags out ready for weekend kick-back reading
The second issue of Moyo (from the girls behind The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design) is out today. You can find it here.
And Amy Butler has published her first e-magazine called Blossom, she says “Blossom” is a visual journal that’s all about loving your life and living it fully and authentically. Filled with loads of creative ideas and inspirations, Blossom celebrates our creative expression and passions; our mantra is “Create Love, Be Kind and Express Beauty” and you can find it here.
Have a lovely weekend.
You can keep the rain and the cold – Autumn colours are the only thing to love about the season so far !
I saw these chrysanthemums at a grocers shop – or rather I should say that they saw me and shouted ‘Oi! Buy me, paint me!!’
I was helpless to refuse and very happy to comply. Am I the only one that can hear plants talking?
Is it too soon to say that ‘it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas’? I know it’s still only November!
We had our first taste of the spirit of things for this year by popping down the motorway to the Gloucester Quays Victorian Christmas Market yesterday.
He smiled one second after I hit the button – both times !
There’s nothing like hot sugared donuts and hot chocolate.
At this market the stall holders make a particular effort to dress up in Victorian costume and there are Victorian reenacter’s wandering around and acting up and bringing a real spirit of occasion.
Add in a brass band ( a hilarious Scout/Brownie choir where not one child was trying to sing) and some twinkly lights and I feel the stirrings of excitement for the festive season.
I have long been a fan of Anita Klein’s work and have found this super video showing her working and describing her art. I love her raison d’être:
” I want to celebrate ordinariness in everyday life. If I were in a prison cell somewhere I would long for having breakfast with my family not for a birthday party or a holiday …what I want to do is capture those very fleeting moments and celebrate them.”
Enjoy the video and you can find more of Anita’s work here: www.anitaklein.com
It’s been a busy few days here… last week I went to London and visited the Country Living Christmas fair. I didn’t get many photos as there are so many people it’s hard to step back and see anything. But I did start my Christmas shopping – oh yes!
It was a lovely way to get into the mood for Christmas (which has to happen in November if you are the Responsible Present Buying Half of the partnership!)
Then on Saturday night I reached a proper grown-up milestone by going to the opera for the first time. We went with friends to see La Bohème performed by the Welsh National Opera. It is written in Italian, set in Paris and sung by Welsh people! It could have been more relaxing if I’d been fluent in Italian – then I wouldn’t have had to read the subtitles to know what was going on.
And finally, yesterday I delivered eight paintings to a new (to me) gallery called Greenstage Gallery.
This gallery is situated in the Hop Pocket Craft Center in Worcestershire. I’m very grateful to have another opportunity to exhibit some more of my work and it spurs me on to create some new work – which brings me full circle in my busyness 🙂
It maybe be Autumn outside but inside, in my studio, it’s still Summer today.
Many years ago, after a holiday in France, I brought back a homes magazine. This image caught my eye and has been on the pin board ever since.
I’m almost ashamed to name quite how many years it’s been there. It has made me realise that I have china, jugs, papers, objects etc for quite some time before I actually use them. Maybe I like the nesting aspect of having an inspiring idea to try out in the future, or maybe I’m a percolator who needs time to mull projects over, or maybe I’m just a procrastinator !
What about you?
I braved the weather conditions this weekend to fight fallen leaves into the garden refuse bin.
One down side of living opposite a wood is the constant fall of leaves at this time of year. Our back garden has looked like a natural disaster took place with the sudden drop of leaves. And out the front, every time the front door is opened a small pile of leaves blows in.
Anyhow they are beautiful and it won’t last forever and the biggest bonus is being able to watch the trees change colour and shape from the warm comfort of my bed which overlooks the woods opposite.
I am really excited to say that these paintings were chosen (after a portfolio viewing – scary :)) by the Wet Paint Gallery in Cirencester, to go in one of their other venues – the Lavender Bakehouse Arts & Crafts rooms in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Cirencester is the capital of The Cotswolds; one of our lovely quintessentially English villages with bunting and a beautiful parish church in the centre.
It’s chock full of history; The Romans, Saxons, Normans and Tudors all had a hand in shaping it and fighting over it. Oh and it has nice shops!
So I’m hoping that these will appeal to someone in the run up to Christmas and I’m very grateful to be showing in a second venue this winter – fingers crossed.
Paint Drops Keep Falling 
