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Half term has been a welcome break in the normal in and out of running classes and has afforded me a block of time to paint. It’s been a while – on day one I had zero concentration for it and had to really plug away but it always falls into place if I keep at it.
And the slower mornings have meant a cup to tea in bed accompanied by something from my enormous post-Christmas reading pile. Inspiration abounds now.
This week I hung an exhibition of my work at the Coach House Gallery which is at Winterbourne Botanical Gardens, Birmingham.
Winterbourne is part of the Birmingham University campus.
It’s an Edwardian Arts and Crafts house built for the family of John Nettlefold in 1903.

Photo credit: http://www.winterbourne.org.uk
It’s last owner bequeathed it to the University where it became the Botanical Gardens in 1944.
It’s one of those magical places that has held onto the history of the past and simultaneously successfully embraced the future.
And my colourful work has ushered Spring in a little earlier than Mother Nature (it’s trying to snow today)
Exhibition hanging takes patience and stamina (good step-ladder muscles!)
One of the most fun things to do was fill the glass exhibition case.
I have laid out sketchbooks, pattern design swatches, an old paint palette, some tubes of paint, brushes, pencils and design work that shows how I use my original paintings digitally.
It was fun to set the scene.
And now I’m happily heading off to a restful weekend – there’s a G & T with my name on it!
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Exhibition is up until 12th March
Todays calendar page is not wrong!
After a lovely busy Summer bursting with family affairs, teaching, holidays and other welcome distractions, today is the first day I find myself home alone and able to concentrate.
So I picked this interesting Hydrangea flower from the garden and got re-acquainted with my paintbrush. It feels good 🙂
I’ve saved my favourite place for last – Frigiliana.
Back in July 2015 we had a week in Granada (which you’ve already seen lots of here) and then we had another week by the coast.
Frigiliana is inland and was a short drive from where we were staying.
It just clicked with me – it’s very small but so cute and artistic with lots of creative industries like pottery, weaving and painting and the nicest people.
I might even retire there one day if I can learn some Spanish!

Frigiliana by Night © Claire Leggett
This piece was the demo I began when I taught The Spotted Dog workshop (here) which I’ve finished now
Well that’s it folks for my show-and-tell work from last years holiday – hope you enjoyed 😉
These are the last three pieces to preview.
Birdcage from May 2011 is a watercolour original on paper measuring 40cm x 50 cm, un-matted and un-framed. Sent with a backing board and cellophane wrapped. £117. £5.65 UK postage, £7.45 USA and elsewhere. SOLD
I’m not going to lie – Circus Girl is going to be hard to let go of as it’s dates right back to the beginning of my journey re-discovering myself as an artist. But I’d love to see it find an appreciative home. Watercolour on paper measuring 56cm x 41cm – un-matted. £127. £5.65 UK postage, £7.45 USA and elsewhere.
Alstroemeria is the last one up for this crazy sale – you’ll not be surprised that it’s a watercolour on paper! measures 52cm x 41cm and is un-matted. £95. £5.65 UK postage, £7.45 USA and elsewhere.
Tile and Teacup from July 2010 is 41cm square and is an original watercolour painting, matted but unframed. £38 UK postage £5.65, USA and eleswhere £ 7.45.
Peapods was painted in July 2012 and is 41cm x 55cm, matted not framed. £49 UK postage £5.65, USA and eleswhere £ 7.45.
Teatime dates back to Feb 2011 . It’s a 58cm x 69cm original watercolour work on paper and is un-matted and un-framed. £105 UK postage (flat) £11.99 (could get a cheaper quote for rolled in postage tube) USA and eleswhere £7.45.– but would need to be sent rolled in a tube.
Hard to believe that I started this painting twenty days ago at the 2015 Patchings Festival as part of my demonstrating.
I never find it easy to paint whilst being watched, but people love to see how you go about your work and it makes the event unique and is a great talking point. So I was slower than in normal studio conditions and I also set myself quite the challenge putting pink flowers on pink floral, throwing in some lace-work and tackling that composition from above.
I didn’t get it finished at the festival so in-between travelling up and down the country looking at University open days with my youngest, I’ve been fiddling with this.
Gonna call it done now; successes, flaws and all!